Picture 1 The Holy Barge of Phra Buddha Maha Dhammaraja
The ceremony of the diving a Buddha image in a river in Phetchabun is held once a year. The festival usually takes place on the 15th day of the 10th waning moon. It is an old ceremony that has been observed continuously for many years. It allows the Governor of Phetchabun to show his sacrifice to the people. Traditionally, the Governor was the only person deemed suitable to bear the sacred Buddha image and dive with it into the river. According to tradition, whenever the Governor did not fulfill this duty, the crops became barren that year and the image would mysteriously disappear.