As Buddhism is the religion practiced by the large majority of Thai people, most holidays fall on national religious days including Makha Bhucha Day. Makha Bhucha Day is a day of Buddhist significance occurring annually on the full moon day of the third lunar month. Like other Buddhist holidays, Makha Bhucha Day will not happen on the same date each year, it depends on the phases of the moon (usually it will fall on the end of February or the beginning of March). This year, in 2010, Makha Bucha day falls on February 28.

According to the Buddhist history, Makha Bhucha Day is the day that a series of special events happened during Buddha’s lifetime. Firstly, 1,250 Buddhist monks from far and wide came to pay homage to Lord Buddha and all of them were individually ordained by Lord Buddha himself.  As it happens all of those monks became ‘enlightened’ ones. Then the Lord Buddha gave those enlightened monks the great Buddhist principles called “the Ovadhapatimokha”: to cease from all evil, to do good things, and to cleanse one’s mind. All of these events give special significance to the full moon day of the third lunar month.

On Makha Bhucha Day, attending religious activities will be the most important thing for Thai people. On this holy day,  Thai Buddhists over the country will take part in ceremonies that include, for example, making merit by going to temples, offering food to the monks and novices, listening to Dhamma preaching, practice of meditation and mental discipline, and attending Candle Light Processions (locally called Wien Tien) in the evening.

For young Buddhists, Wien Tien ceremony is a highlight of religious activities of the day. After the sun has fallen and people finished listening to Dhamma and sermons, a senior monk will lead people in a long procession to walk clockwise three times around the main stupa (or pagoda). Hundreds of candles are lit and the aroma of joss-stick (incense) fills the air. During Wien Tien people will complete the procession with flowers, lighted incense sticks and candles between their palms. After the last round, people will place the flowers, incense sticks and candles on the altar in front of the Buddha image and pray.

Thai people celebrate Makha Bhucha Day similarly nation-wide though there are variations.  For example, people in Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand also hold the annual Hae Pha Khuen That festival. The festival takes place at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan where the pagoda contains the holy Buddha relics. Every year, Buddhists pay homage at the pagoda by organizing a procession bearing a religious cloth to wrap around the pagoda to bring good fortune and success. The festival also includes local traditional music performances, southern Thai dancing and other stage performances, holy rice-cooking ceremony, and more.

To be a participant in Makha Bhucha Day Cerebration, you can join the ceremony anywhere in Thailand that there is a temple. No matter if you are Christian, Islamic, or any other religion you are welcome to join in the special ceremony and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.