The rocket festival, known in Thai as ‘Bun Bang Fai,’ is an ancient local festival that has been carried out continuously till modern times. It is popularly celebrated in northeast of Thailand , and is usually held in the second week of May.
In Thailand, the month of May is the beginning of the rainy season and farmers are ready to begin planting their rice fields. The festival is associated with traditional beliefs in the supernatural powers that help promote the production of rice crops for the coming planting season.
History of The rocket festival.
The legend has it that once there was a rain god named Vassakan who loved to be worshipped with fire. The townspeople created a rocket or ‘Bang Fai’ to send to heaven, where the god resided. They believed that the god would hear their entreaties and bless them with plentiful rain for rice cultivation. So the celebration is entirely to the god of rain.
In the old the rockets were made out of natural materials, but today they can be made of either bamboo or iron pipe. They are decorated with Thai designs, usually in the shape of a naga. Some of them are enclosed in PVC piping, There is many size of Bang Fai, competing in several categories.
The first day of the celebration begins with merry-making, including traditional dances and processions of rocket floats.
On the second day is the actual shooting of the rockets. Early in the morning the rockets are paraded around the town. Each procession consists of clowns, dancers and musicians playing drums, gongs, cymbals and reed pipes.
The procession then moves to Phaya Thaen field, where hundreds of rockets will be launched. The first rocket is fired to predict the amount of rainfall for that growing season. That is, if it goes high up in the sky, there will be plenty of rain and a good crop.
The rest are set off to ask for rain. The owner of a rocket which does not rise after firing will be thrown into the water as punishment for making a dud rocket.It is very fun. Boon Bang Fai is the beautiful tradition. It is never forgotten from people there. There is this festival in every year to show their folkway. We should protect and promote this festival to our next generation and others how beautiful Boon Bang Fai is.