Kathin ceremony at Wat Sawang Arom draws thousands

Thousands flocked to the renowned Wat Sawang Arom in Nakhon Pathom province for the robust Kathin ceremony today. The event saw an overwhelming response, with a crowd of devotees and locals filling the temple grounds, arriving as early as dawn to offer Kathin trees in an act of merit-making.

The holy Kathin ceremony event was marked by an atmosphere of excitement and devotion, with thousands of people participating. The temple had set up a large dining hall to accommodate the large number of devotees.

More than 40 food stalls, set up by the temple’s disciples, offered a variety of food to the attendees, ensuring everyone was well-fed throughout the event.

Traffic stretched for almost 2 kilometres due to the influx of people, reflecting the popularity of the Kathin ceremony event. The Kathin procession, with a length of 1 kilometre, was a sight to behold.

The procession featured a band playing on a lead vehicle, performing lively music, and circling the temple three times before offering the Kathin trees at the pavilion in front of the sermon hall.

The eminent monk, Luang Por Pae, officiated the Kathin ceremony himself and bestowed sacred objects on every devotee who offered a Kathin tree. He also distributed 500 pieces of sacred cloth bestowed by Somdej Thongchai, the head of the Central Ecclesiastical Council, for the devotees to worship. However, due to limited quantity, many were left disappointed.

Upon the completion of the Kathin ceremony, the devotees and fortune-seekers did not disperse immediately. They waited to see the total Kathin donations for this occasion, which amounted to 2,318,421 baht, hoping to use the figures to try their luck, reported KhaoSod.

This year’s Kathin ceremony also saw the installation of a more than two-metre-tall standing Garuda statue in front of the temple, allowing devotees to pay their respects and ask for blessings. Prominent figures such as Ngseek Chai Tetsavanich, a fourth-generation descendant of Hong’s family, Sonthaya Fajinda, a famous radio presenter, and Wanchai Suphanan, a well-known monk, also participated in the ceremony and paid their respects to Garuda.

The belief among the devotees is that those who worship Garuda will encounter good fortune, professional growth, power and popularity, and assistance in wealth accumulation. The Kathin ceremony also included a lottery draw with ten thousand tickets, producing the numbers 4, 3, 1, and 6, 8, creating a buzz among the crowd. Many clicked pictures of the lottery tail to try their luck, while others waited for the total Kathin donations of this occasion to gamble.