story by Saisunee Singhathat
The Um Phra Dam Nam ceremony is a local tradition practiced by the inhabitants in Phetchabun province. The local people pay great respect to a Buddha image named Phra Phuttha Maha Thammaracha which is enshrined at Wat Traiphum. The legend told by the villagers is that about 400 years ago, a group of fishermen were fishing at Pasak River. There were usually a lot of fish at that time. But that day was different. They could not catch even one fish and the stream somehow stopped flowing. Then a countless number of bubbles popped up on the surface of the water and there suddenly appeared a huge and deep whirlpool. Unexpectedly, a Buddha image emerged from under the water. The fishermen took the image ashore and housed it at Wat Traiphum, located to the north of central Phetchabun. The Buddha image was fully adorned with Lopburi art and had a graceful appearance. The locals named the image Phra Maha Thammaracha.
The other legend says that there was a couple fishing in the Pasak River. They sailed their boat farther and farther to Banna but not a single fish was caught. When they reached Wang Namleuk, they threw a fishing net into the river but could not pull it up. So they dived into the water and, surprisingly, found the most graceful Buddha image ever seen. The couple then took the image to Wat Traiphum. But after only a year of being kept in a glass cabinet the Buddha image disappeared without any trace. One day a Buddhist monk went out to build a dyke. He scooped water out until the sun rose, and then a brass Buddha image suddenly appeared. It was the same as the one that had disappeared. An exorcist was summoned to secure the Buddha image at the temple by nailing down the feet of the image. If there was a year that the people suffered from drought, they would carry the image out of the temple and proceed around the city. And the rain would fall as it should.
From the story, the Buddha image had been missing from the temple on two occasions. As a way of paying homage to the image and in hopes that it would not disappear again, the people carried the statue out and bathe the Buddha image in Pasak River at Wat Bot Chanaman pier. The tradition has been practiced until the present day.
The Um Phra Dam Nam ceremony starts from parading the Buddha image around the city. When the clock strikes 13.00 hours, the image is carried to the ritual site in Wat Traiphum for the people to come and pay respects. There will be prayer and then shows and performances in the evening. On the next day, the villagers give food offerings to the Buddhist monks at the temple.
When it is time for the most important practice, the people take the Buddha image out onto a throne in a ritual boat. The place for this ceremony is the pier at Wat Bot Chanaman. The man who is responsible for bathing the image is the governor of Phetchabun province. He will need to take the Buddha image to the river bed and come up and repeat for the other three rounds. It is considered vital to practice this ceremony since the people believe that if the ceremony is ignored, drought will occur.
After the bathing ceremony, the water is thought to be sacred so the people jump into it or drink it. Following this the annual traditional sailing competition begins.
The Um Phra Dam Nam ceremony this year will be on September 27, 2011. For more information please contact Phetchabun Public Relations Office at 0-5672-9746-7, or Phetchabun Municipality at 0-5671-1475 and 0-5671-1002 ext. 102
Phetchabun province is approximately 346 kilometers from Bangkok. There are many interesting tourist attractions such as B N Farm, Khao Kho, Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, Nam Nao National Park, Sithep Historical Park, etc.
story by Saisunee SinghathatThe Um Phra Dam Nam ceremony is a local tradition practiced by the inhabitants in Phetchabun province. The local people pay great respect to a Buddha image named Phra Phuttha Maha Thammaracha which is enshrined at Wat Traiphum. The legend told by the villagers is that about 400 years ago, a group of fishermen were fishing at Pasak River. There were usually a lot of fish at that time. But that day was different. They could not catch even one fish and the stream somehow stopped flowing. Then a countless number of bubbles popped up on the surface of the water and there suddenly appeared a huge and deep whirlpool. Unexpectedly, a Buddha image emerged from under the water. The fishermen took the image ashore and housed it at Wat Traiphum, located to the north of central Phetchabun. The Buddha image was fully adorned with Lopburi art and had a graceful appearance. The locals named the image Phra Maha Thammaracha.The other legend says that there was a couple fishing in the Pasak River. They sailed their boat farther and farther to Banna but not a single fish was caught. When they reached Wang Namleuk, they threw a fishing net into the river but could not pull it up. So they dived into the water and, surprisingly, found the most graceful Buddha image ever seen. The couple then took the image to Wat Traiphum. But after only a year of being kept in a glass cabinet the Buddha image disappeared without any trace. One day a Buddhist monk went out to build a dyke. He scooped water out until the sun rose, and then a brass Buddha image suddenly appeared. It was the same as the one that had disappeared. An exorcist was summoned to secure the Buddha image at the temple by nailing down the feet of the image. If there was a year that the people suffered from drought, they would carry the image out of the temple and proceed around the city. And the rain would fall as it should.From the story, the Buddha image had been missing from the temple on two occasions. As a way of paying homage to the image and in hopes that it would not disappear again, the people carried the statue out and bathe the Buddha image in Pasak River at Wat Bot Chanaman pier. The tradition has been practiced until the present day.The Um Phra Dam Nam ceremony starts from parading the Buddha image around the city. When the clock strikes 13.00 hours, the image is carried to the ritual site in Wat Traiphum for the people to come and pay respects. There will be prayer and then shows and performances in the evening. On the next day, the villagers give food offerings to the Buddhist monks at the temple. When it is time for the most important practice, the people take the Buddha image out onto a throne in a ritual boat. The place for this ceremony is the pier at Wat Bot Chanaman. The man who is responsible for bathing the image is the governor of Phetchabun province. He will need to take the Buddha image to the river bed and come up and repeat for the other three rounds. It is considered vital to practice this ceremony since the people believe that if the ceremony is ignored, drought will occur.After the bathing ceremony, the water is thought to be sacred so the people jump into it or drink it. Following this the annual traditional sailing competition begins.The Um Phra Dam Nam ceremony this year will be on September 27, 2011. For more information please contact Phetchabun Public Relations Office at 0-5672-9746-7, or Phetchabun Municipality at 0-5671-1475 and 0-5671-1002 ext. 102Phetchabun province is approximately 346 kilometers from Bangkok. There are many interesting tourist attractions such as B N Farm, Khao Kho, Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, Nam Nao National Park, Sithep Historical Park, etc.
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