In Thailand, the place of the dead is quite prominent in daily life, between spirit houses, various festivals and the omnipresence of ghosts and other spirits in Thai series and cinema ; the latter are both feared and respected.
In the midst of the Day of the Dead celebrations , it's the perfect time to review the Thai view of life after death, how it impacts daily life, and also to give you some ideas for places to visit and festivals on the theme.
So, are you feeling strong? Sensitive souls should refrain, here we go!
Spirit houses
The Thai people believe that, in addition to humans and animals, the earth is populated by spirits . Therefore, when they choose a plot of land and wish to build their house there (this also applies to buildings and other constructions), they must then share said land with the spirit or spirits already occupying that plot.
Hence the presence of " spirit houses ," these veritable little houses resembling miniature temples, generally placed on a pedestal. The location of these houses is governed by a whole host of criteria ranging from orientation to height (often at eye level, hence the pedestal), among others.
The primary function is to ensure the protection of the chao thi , a kind of guardian and protector, by making him comfortable with this dwelling provided; people regularly come to leave offerings (most often flowers, incense and food, rice, fruit and drink).
It's worth noting that the opposite of chao thi are the "phi," malevolent spirits often likened to ghosts. These are the ones frequently found in Thai films and television series.
The appearance and size of the spirit house are proportional to the wealth of the home it protects, so as not to arouse the spirit's jealousy. Originally, these small houses were made of wood, just like traditional dwellings.
Some details on the role of spirit houses can be found on our friend Wikipedia.
If the construction is significant, the spirit house becomes quite literally a small sanctuary , with a dwelling in the form of a small temple dedicated to Brahma, the creator god in Hinduism (a figure with 4 faces).
A concrete example is the Erawan shrine , at the Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok.
Erawan Shrine
The Erawan Shrine is an example of a more elaborate "spirit house". Its construction was decided after the date for the start of work on a large government hotel, the Erawan Hotel, was considered bad (normally the date is calculated in advance by an astrologer).
Before the construction of the sanctuary, the construction of the hotel had been plagued by a series of incidents including cost overruns, workers being injured and the loss of a shipment of Italian marble, intended for the decoration of the luxury hotel.
The connection with the spirits? The crossroads where the hotel was built used to be a public square for the execution of criminals.
Established in 1956, the original hotel has since been demolished and replaced by the Grand Hyatt, but the shrine remains. The statue of Brahma has been vandalized twice, most recently in 2006. The vandal was immediately beaten to death, proof that one does not trifle with spirits… even if this completely disproportionate reaction caused a scandal at the time.
Phi Ta Khon: The Ghost Festival
Every year between March and July (the date is selected each year by a medium) the ghost festival takes place in Dan Sai, in the province of Loei (in the Issan region). Locally called Phi Ta Khon, the inhabitants of the villages dress in multi-colored clothing with large masks, representing.
The festival lasts for 3 days, on the first day they invite the spirits of the Mun River to protect them, on the second day there are dance competitions, parades and the last day is dedicated to listening to the chants of the monks.
Photo source: Wikipedia
Sat Duan Sip: The Festival of the Tenth Lunar Month
This festival takes place every year in September or early October in southern Thailand, in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Thais believe that during this period, the deceased are allowed to visit the living and their families from the first to the last day of the waning moon in the tenth lunar month.
These traditional festivals include shows and exhibitions of art and culture, temporary markets with a large number of local products, tastings of local specialties, a sound and light show, fireworks.
The main feature of the festival is offering food to monks and monasteries.
Photo source: Bangkok101.com
Wang saen suk: the garden of hell
Located 90 km from Bangkok, on the road to Pattaya, you can visit a garden unlike any other. Situated next to a temple in Chonburi, this garden offers a particularly graphic depiction of hell in Buddhist mythology.
Despite the brutal and gory scenes, this unusual garden is generally visited by families. Statues realistically and graphically depict various situations and possible forms of torture.
After passing a sign that reads " Welcome to Hell! ", visitors encounter sinners boiled in copper cauldrons, devoured by hellhounds, emaciated, etc.
Like the day of judgment for Catholics, some Buddhists believe that the soul is judged, if the karma is negative, then it will be a passage through hell. The majority thinks rather for a simple reincarnation, the motto remains in all cases:
“Give a little every day, you will have a happy life.”
This is why Thais are very devout religious people who regularly visit temples, feed monks in the morning, and why many events are linked to the goal of doing merit, a good deed.
Wat Muang: another example of a hell garden
Note that several temples in Thailand may have an area dedicated to this type of "garden of hell." This is notably the case with Wat Muang, located in Ang Thong (also 90 km north of Bangkok, not far from Ayutthaya ).
Besides the Hell Garden, Wat Muang is best known for its impressive 94m seated Buddha, the largest to date in the entire country.
Wat Rong Khun, the white temple of Chiang Rai
Created by the artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, the temple, in fact a true work of art , also possesses a certain representation of what hell might be like.
At the entrance to the temple is a walkway under which lies a pit of hell, where hundreds of hands of damned souls try to climb out and escape their sad fate.
Just beyond, on either side, are two imposing demons pointing an accusing finger at you.
