Kathina festival, also known as robes or flowers offering ceremony, is often held after the three-month Buddhist summer retreat in order to offer new robes for the monks, thus create merits for oneself and relatives, contributing to bringing peace and good luck for local people.
According to Senior Venerable Lý Đức, Vice Chairman of the association for solidarity of patriotic Buddhist monks in Soc Trang, Abbot of Botum Vong Sa Som Rong temple, this year, Kathina festival has been held from the 15th day of eighth lunar month to the 14th of ninth lunar month, before the traditional Ok Om Bok festival. Each Khmer pagoda has set a specific date and informed to Buddhists for conducting Kathina feast.
Kathina festival of Khmer people often takes place in two days. On the first festival day in pagodas, monks chant and pray for peace and good luck for local people. On the second day, followers join a procession around the locality to prove their loyalty before offering new robes to monks.
Kathina festival also is an opportunity for Khmer community to raise funds for charity work including construction of rural roads, restoration of schools, workplaces of monks, etc.
PH (nation and development newspaper)
