It is rather a unique ritual characteristic of the Phetchabun province rooting in the old legend. It says that once several fishermen sat on a bank of the river discussing their bad luck – they caught no fish that day at all. Suddenly an image of Buddha appeared in the rapids. They took it out from the river and brought to the local temple but mysteriously the statue soon disappeared to be found once again on the same place in the river. The villagers brought it back to the temple but decided to make an annual festival of bathing the image of the Buddha in the river to prevent it from diving into the water by itself. Since then each year the villagers dive into the river to get the blessing for the oncoming year and ensure abundance and fertility.
The festivities will take place between October, 7 and 12 at Trai Phum temple and at the pier of Bot Chanaman temple.
Phetchabun is located 350 km north of Bangkok. It takes about 6 hours to get there by bus. There are daily direct Bangkok–Phetchabun buses as well as buses from Bangkok to Lom Sak which call to Phetchabun on their way further north. These are especially handy if one heads to Khao Kho or Phu Thap Berk district.
A Unique Buddhist Festival in Phetchabun – Tourists Are Welcome
News in Asia
Phetchabun, one of the less known to foreigners provinces in the Northern Thailand, invites tourists to attend a local ritual ceremony of bathing a Buddha image, also known as Um Phra Dam Nam ceremony.