Unique ordination parade sees men tossed in air in Chaiyaphum village

Eight men embarking on a spiritual journey into the Buddhist monkhood experienced a thrilling ordination parade in Ban Non-Salao, a village in the Phu Khieo district.

In the morning, the provincial governor of Chaiyaphum, Sopon Suwanrat, attended religious ceremonies at a village shrine honouring the 8 men being ordained, collectively referred to as ‘nagas.’ The day’s main attraction was a dazzling procession featuring the nagas, each seated on a bamboo bed carried by robust individuals along the village’s main streets towards Wat Takhaek. Local villagers, along with Thai and foreign visitors, flocked to the roadsides to witness the event.

Approximately 100 elegantly dressed young women from the village led the parade, followed by a procession of relatives, friends, and associates of those entering the monkhood, reports Bangkok Post.

The atmosphere reached its peak when the 8 nagas were repeatedly thrown into the air while being conveyed on the bamboo beds, accompanied by stimulating northeastern music and rhythmic drumbeats. The tossing of the nagas persisted until the parade culminated at the temple where their ordination took place.

According to villagers, the challenging act of tossing the nagas symbolises a test of their strength and determination. They maintained that this unique tradition of tossing men entering the Buddhist monkhood is exclusive to their region and expressed their unwavering commitment to preserving it with pride.