|
Feb
|
Mar
| Apr
| May
| Jul
| Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
Event & Festival 2008
Laos cerebrates many annual festivals called "Boun",
which are particularly enjoyable and beautiful,
signifying traditional aspects of Lao lifestyle. Most
festivals are connected with religion and the yearly
rice farming cycle. The timing of the festivals is
calculates according to the Buddhist lunar calendar.
Laos festivals in
April
"Boun Pi Mai" Lao's New Year
Lao New Year is celebrated at the same time each year
(April 14-16). This year, the 16th is the first day of
the New Year.
On the 13th, Buddha images are taken out of the temples
to be cleansed with scented water by devotees, and
placed on special temporary altars within the compounds
of "wats" (temples).
Devotees gather the scented water falling off the
images, to take home and use it to pour on friends and
relatives, as an act of cleansing and purification
before entering the New Year. On the evening of the
15th, the images are returned to their proper shriners
within the temples.
Boun Pi Mai is a time for much joyous celebration, with
good deeds and prayers in anticipation the New Year.
Laos festivals in
May
Boun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival)
A ceremony praying for rain is performed at the temple
in the morning. In the afternoon, people gather in
fields on the outskirts of villages and towns to launch
the rockets with much abandoned revelry. Villages,
communities and departments compete for the "best
decorated" and the "highest traveling" rocket. Beginning
around the middle of May, the festivals are staggered
from place to place enable more participation and
attendance. This is the time when an offering to the
spirits can be made in a corner of one's garden, early
each morning.
Boun Visakhaboucha
This festival is held during the sixth full moon of the
lunar calendar for the Buddha. Candlelight processions
are held in temples to mark the birth date of Buddha.
Laos festivals in
July
Boun Asalahaboucha and Boun Khao Pansa (Buddhist Lent)
This is the beginning of Buddhist Lent. During the next
three-month period, monks spend most of their times in
prayer and meditation and are restricted from spending
nights in other "wats". This festival is held during the
eighth full moon of the lunar calendar
Laos festivals in August
Boun Khao Padabdin (Rice) and Boat Racing Festival in
Luang Prabang
At the Khao Padabdin ceremony day, people visit local
temples to make offerings to dead ancestors as well as
to share merit-making. This festival includes boat
racing on the Nam Khan River and a trade fair in Luang
Prabang World Heritage town.
|
Source: Lao National Tourism Administration
|
| 
