Thai Temples and things you don't know what they are for

First up is at Wat Nong Prue, they have this seating area with lovely high quality plastic seats, above each seat hangs down a piece of cotton of which the end is tied into a knotted sort of lump.

Now I assume that the congregation all sits down and gets to hold onto the lump of cotton above them, why is this? Is it to form some sort of unity with other believers? Got to admit I haven't seen the cotton used this way before, tied round the wrist or run round buildings yes, but this is above every seat there is.

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u..._temples_2.JPG

Next at the Temple are these, big long sticks with polystyrene and foil and paper, wonder if they are lucky or something.

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u..._temples_3.JPG

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u..._temples_1.JPG

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...0046848-01.jpg

Suan Mon School teachers and students set up eggs while praying to Jatukham Ramathep amulet of "Ruay Sombat" series in a ceremony in Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district on Tuesday.

The Nation

^This has the makings of a great thread....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by buad hai

^This has the makings of a great thread....

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ABSOLUTELY

kudos DD

The boiled eggs are standard temple offerings in SE Asia. Usually they're part of the "Bai Sri", the conical structure of rice and leaves and bannana flowers often seen on trays at Buddhist ceremonies, the boiled egg is stuck on the top. They symbolise learning and education. They're also offered in thanks for favours received, usually in batches of 1000. The people in the photo just seem to be praying over them before offering them

DD is right about the photo at the top, the Sai Sin thread "transmits" prayer. In a temple setting, which the above looks like, it's normally attached to the right hand of the Buddha image, passes through the hands of the chanting monks, and on down to the congregation.

I've seen the structure in the picture above used during big ceremonies like Luk Mimit or the installation of new Buddha statues or consecration of amulets. It's used when there are a lot guest monks from other temples, rather than having hundreds of meters of thread all over the place it's a neat way to make sure every monk can hold onto the thread without strangling himself or tripping over it when the chanting's finished.

Every year in most villages monks from the local Wat will encircle the village in Sai Sin and, holding one end, chant to bring protection to the village for the next year. When the chanting is finished the monks will give rolls of Sai Sin to the people of the village so they can use it in household rituals like tying it around the wrists of gullible tourists in the hope of extracting money from them.

The paper thingies are, I think, 5-tiered sacred umbrellas made to carry in processions, you often see the real thing on top of chedis and near Buddha statues.

normal uncooked eggs are used to divine favourable burial sights .

^Is that a Thai thing? Buddhist Thais are cremated and the remains placed in mini-stupas on temple ground.

from she who must be obeyed ........................

AFAICT you do choose the site where the egg breaks

think i got it now