Soc Trang is a famous place for the colorful festivals of traditional culture of the Khmer people, such as Chôl Chnăm Thmây, Sene Dolta, Ngo boat racing, Ok Om Bok and Kathina festival...
Every year, from the 15th day of ninth lunar month to the 15th of tenth lunar month, Khmer people in Southern Vietnam in general and Soc Trang province in particular thrill to celebrate Kathina festival, also known as cotton down ceremony or down robes ceremony.
Kathina festival is often held after the three-month Buddhist summer retreat and before traditional Ok Om Bok festival. According to the Khmer Theravada Buddhism’s tradition, each Khmer pagoda will set a specific date and inform to Buddhists for conducting Kathina feast.
This year, Trà Kuch Chăs pagoda in Chau Thanh district is the first Buddhist temple to celebrate the Kathina festival and Prek Pinh Tuang pagoda in My Tu district is the last one to hold the festival.
Kathina festival of Khmer people often takes place in two days. During the festival, followers offer monks new robes, and after that monks and nuns will pray for peace and good luck for locals.
Soc Trang province is one of highly Khmer concentrated communities with about 400 thousand Khmer people.
Soc Trang province’s Khmer people offers Buddhist clothes and items to monks
Performance of Sa Dăm drum team
Offering items to monks on Kathina festival
Solemn processions on Kathina festival
Source: giacngo.vn
