This ceremony is performed in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, within the Grand Palace complex. (For a more complete look at the Grand Palace complex, explore our Grand Palace Walking Tour).
The Ploughing Ceremony, or Phraraj Pithi Jarod Phranangkal Raek Na Kwan. Held the day after the Cultivating Ceremony, the Ploughing Ceremony takes place at Sanam Luang, a plot of land near the Grand Palace.
The Lord of the Harvest performs several rituals that are supposed to predict the conditions in the rice season to come. First, he chooses one of three cloth garments – the longest one predicts little rain for the coming season, the medium one predicts average rainfall, and the shortest one predicts a lot of rain.
Afterwards, the Lord of the Harvest initiates the ploughing of the ground, accompanied by sacred bulls, drummers, umbrella bearers, and his Celestial Maidens bearing baskets filled with rice seed. After the bulls have ploughed the earth, the beasts are presented with a choice of seven foodstuffs – their choices will predict what crops will be plentiful for the season to come.
At the end of the ceremony, the Lord of the Harvest will scatter rice seed over the furrows. Guests will try to gather some of the scattered rice grains as good luck charms for their own harvests back home.