New Temple Celebration - Chiang Mai

[DrB0b]

Just been cleaning up my photo collection and found a few that I though people might enjoy seeing. These were taken about two years ago. They're pictures of part of a celebration after building a new temple, about 30 miles outside Chiang Mai. The temple was built by the local villagers and once it was finished the people from all the villages in the area were invited to the party, as were relatives of the villagers from all over the country, mostly Bangkok. All the visitors brought money trees with them and raised almost enough money to pay the full cost of construction. Photos were taken with an itty-bitty camera so the quality's not high.

[DrB0b]

Waiting at the bottom of the Temple road for the buses from Bangkok.

[DrB0b]

First bus arrives, from "Lovely Whale Tours". I love that name, sounds like something from Father Ted. Ignore the farang in the foreground, he's an obvious traitor to his homeland and culture.

[DrB0b]

[DrB0b]

Formed up for the walk to the temple.

[DrB0b]

[DrB0b]

I'm not too sure what this creature is but I can tell you that in any western country it would have been jailed for sexual harassment

[DrB0b]

[DrB0b]

This is the Abbot, check out the tats! He's reputed to be a powerful magician and to have the ability to control the weather. As a matter of fact, when, a little later in the day, it began to rain heavily he told everybody to shut up and he began chanting. Five minutes later the sun was shining and the rain had stopped. The bowl is full of flowers and coins which he scattered among the people.

[DrB0b]

Arriving at the temple.

[DrB0b]

Inside the Temple. This whole temple was built and decorated by the people of the village, it took years.

[DrB0b]

Final picture. A quick ceremony followed and then everybody proceeded to get extremely drunk. As it's a Lao Khao producing village my memories of the rest of the day are pretty hazy. I lost about 800 baht betting on racing rockets. At about midnight there was an almighty punch-up in the temple grounds, between 3 or 4 different villages. Then a new supply of Lao Khao was found and harmony, karaoke, and coyote dancing reigned supreme again

[plorf]

Thanks, but where are the coyote pictures ?

[DrB0b]

Thanks, but where are the coyote pictures ?

In the secret 3,000+ post part of the forum

[plorf]

damn, I better reply a lot then !

[bustak]

great thread, I've never seen a grand opening of a temple before, I need to put that on my to do list.

what's going on in this photo?


the camera was picking up something funky.

[DrB0b]

great thread, I've never seen a grand opening of a temple before, I need to put that on my to do list.

Thanks, I"ll invite you to the next one I know of, I have some great pics of the actual consecration of a temple (not the same one but in the next village along) which I'll show you next time I see you, but after 5 days, bugger all views, and 2 posters commenting I'm buggered if I'm going to do another photo thread on here I'll stick to acting crazy in issues, at least that gets some reaction

I think that picture was showing the akashic emanations of Buddha sucking the financial goodness out of the money trees.

[Marmite the Dog]

but after 5 days, bugger all views, and 2 posters commenting I'm buggered if I'm going to do another photo thread on here

where are the coyote pictures ?

Well, what do you expect if you leave out the most important piccies?

[kingwilly]

but after 5 days, bugger all views, and 2 posters commenting I'm buggered if I'm going to do another photo thread on here

and I've been away!