The Royal Ploughing ceremony, or Pithi Chrat Preah Neanng
Korl in Khmer, and the Festival of Water and full Moon Salutation, know as
Pithi Bonn Om Touk and Ak Ambok Sampeah preah Kher in Khmer, are such
ceremonies. Predictions gleaned from these traditional ceremonies for the
coming year are taken very seriously. Royal
Ploughing
The Festival of Water and Full Moon Salutation is celebrated
usually in late October. Drippings from burning candles predict rainfall
distribution to provinces across the country. The Royal Ploughing Ceremony
predicts the weather, epidemics and farming conditions.
By observing what feed the royal oxen choose after the Royal
Ploughing Ceremony, Cambodians believe they can predict a range of events
including epidemics, floods, good harvests and excessive rainfall.
This year, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony will be held on May 28
at the Veal Preahmein Square ,
situated across the road from the northern perimeter of the Royal Palace .
At the end of a symbolic Ploughing procession before His
Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, the royal oxen were relieved of their harnesses
and led to seven golden trays containing rice, corn, sesame seeds, beans, grass,
water and wine to feed. The royal oxen chose to eat out of only three trays
this year and because their feast consisted of varying percentages of rice and
corn while they largely ignored the trays of sesame seeds, grass, water and
wine, prognostications were as follows: Farmers would enjoy a moderate output
for their rice harvest but good yields in secondary crop production, especially
corn and beans. Because the royal oxen only sniffed on the tray of water and
turned away from the wine, the prediction was made that farmers would not
suffer any serious floods.
Every year, Cambodian farmers anxiously await the
predictions at the end of this ritualistic ceremony, which they observe with
strong faith and belief. Most Cambodians today still consult traditional
manuals before making any major decisions regarding business matters or meeting
important persons, etc.
Royal Ploughing
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony has been observed for many
centuries at the initiative of an earlier Khmer king who had paid great
attention to farming conditions of the people. Traditionally, the Pithi Chrat
Pheah Neang Korl is performed in the month of the Khmer calendar and marks the
beginning of the rainy season in Cambodia.
When asked, most Cambodians stand staunchly by these
traditional methods of predicting the future and vouch for their accuracy. It
is comforting to believe that the angels are still watching over us. As they
say in Cambodia ,
long live the Khmer traditions. Long Live Cambodia .
0 comments:
Post a Comment