Sunday 21 February 2027

The Wat Phu Festival takes place every year, on the 15th day of the increasing moon of the 3rd month (in January-February) and coincides with the Makha Busa Buddhist Festival. The believers come from a great distance to attend the ceremony ; some of them even come from Thailand and Cambodia; it is also the opportunity for surrounding plain and mountain populations to meet each other, maintaining these relations since time put off.

Processions, recitals, and chants take place during the three days festival. Boats racing (dugouts), game "catch-ducks"; volleyball and petanque competitions are also organized. Sometimes, elephant procession, buffalo and cock fights, and dances are also showed. The local authorities want to maintain some traditions and to preserve the sacred sense of the place. In the evening, various attractions as well as some concerts are used to occur as an usual profane aspect. See an example of the attractions for 2011 on the file below...

A ceremony is held at the temple in the morning, when a special "bread made of sticky rice" is offered. This festival is held during the third full moon of the lunar calendar. The festival commemorates the original teachings of Lord Buddha given to over a thousand monks who came spontaneously to hear him preach. The festival is marked by grand parades of candle-bearing worshippers circling their local temples, merit-making, and much religious music and chanting.

On the morning, after morning alms, people meet in the temple to cook local pieces of sticky rice.

This festival is held during the third full moon of the lunar calendar. It happens the same day Wat Phou Festival in Champasak.