Surin’s Tha Tum district dazzles with traditional egg parade
A time-honoured tradition in Surin province’s Tha Tum district, the annual egg parade ceremony to honour the town’s guardian spirits, has once again captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike. The event, which took place yesterday, February 13, is renowned not only for its cultural significance but also for the much-anticipated divination ritual where participants seek lucky numbers from incense sticks and the tails of firecrackers.
The area in front of the main town shrine (also known as the Grandfather’s Shrine) in Tha Tum municipality, Surin, was bustling with the traditional third month merit-making ceremony. The event was graced by the presence of the town’s mayor, Chanomwan Jaruthanitkul, alongside national representative Pakamars Charoenphat, and local council member, Kongthatsan Suwannapong, as well as the townspeople of Tha Tum.
Following the ceremonial offerings, the crowd engaged in the practice of lighting incense sticks to ask for good fortune from the guardian spirits, Lord Vong Muang and Grandmother Kantarawichai enshrined there. This was accompanied by the ritual of divining auspicious numbers from the remnants of firecrackers used in the ceremony.
The numbers revealed by the incense sticks were 411, while the firecracker tails gave 658 and 92. Many believe these numbers to be auspicious and will use them in the upcoming government lottery draw on February 16. This belief is bolstered by the fact that the ceremony has been known to bring good luck every year, reported Sanook.
The egg parade ceremony is deeply rooted in the local lore of Tha Tum. The site where the main town shrine now stands was once marked by a small wooden shrine under a large Samrong tree, a landmark for the herders of the area. As they passed by, they would leave offerings of their simple packed lunches, often boiled eggs or fried fish, at the shrine to seek blessings for a safe day with their livestock.
Historical ceremony
Over time, the tradition evolved into the egg parade ceremony that continues to this day. The shrine was eventually elevated by the first mayor of Tha Tum municipality, Sirinthep Ruamphat, to a beautifully marble-paved platform about two metres above the ground, establishing it as a venerated place for the community.
In the afternoon, the district chief, Wanpen Harnsamur, joined the locals to witness over 150 dancers perform in homage to the guardian spirits. Following the dance, monks were invited to perform a blessing ceremony for the participants. The day concluded with a Likay performance, a traditional form of Thai folk theatre, celebrating the town’s guardian spirits and the unity of the community.
