Rehearsal of Ploughing Ceremony

Rehearsal of Ploughing Ceremony

BANGKOK: The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives yesterday held the final rehearsal of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony at Sanam Luang which this year falls on May 9.

The grand rehearsal saw two new sacred oxen, named Perm and Poon, taken to the place to test plough a furrow for the upcoming ceremony on Monday.

The two six-year-old white Lumphun oxen have undergone two years training to behave and walk graciously.

This would enable them to acquaint themselves in the participation of the ceremony before joining the grand ancient ceremony on Monday.

The two sacred oxen with good appearance, beautiful skin, shiny hair and beautiful shapes of horns will be offered to eat varieties of food contained in bowls.

What they eat will predict how the crop yields and the abundance of water will be for this year.

The food include maize, paddy, sesame, soyabean, grass, water and liquor.

The royal ploughing ceremony is held annually to mark the beginning of the rainy season when farmers will begin to grow their crops.

According to the ministry’s permanent secretary Thirapat Prayoonsit, the country’s best rice grains will be taken from the Royal Chitralada Palace’s demonstration farm for the ceremony.

After the ceremony at Sanam Luang people can collect grains to keep or grow as it is considered the auspicious start of the rice growing season.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/162383

-- Thai PBS 2016-05-07