Tak Bat Thewo festivals in Thailand

Ok Phansa, marks the end of Buddhist Lent, I already told you about it. And the next day, there is another tradition called Tak ฺฺ Bat Thewo (or “devo”, you will find several spellings) which consists of large morning alms offering to the monks. Some are very spectacular and impressive, I will list a few at the end of this article but before let me tell you a little more about this event.

Tak Bat Thewo in Thailand

The action of “Tak Bat” is the action of offering food to the monks. The one that takes place the day after Ok Phansa, at the end of Buddhist Lent, is called “Tak Bat Thewo” (ตักบาตร เท โว) or “Tak Bat Thewo Rohana”. “Thewo rohana” marks the descent of Buddha from Heaven after 3 months in paradise there where He visited His dead mother.

The Tak Bat Thewo festivals in Thailand

These traditional morning offerings are of course happening all over Thailand (around 7am in general) but there are some places where they are more important or famous often organized by temples perched on a hill with a long Naga staircase. Here is a non-exhaustive list:

• In Uthai Thani at Wat Sangkat Rattanakhiri
  About 500 monks descend the 449 steps of the Khao Sakae Krang Hill stairs to join the huge crowd below and receive offerings. It starts at 9am but there are many hours before. This is probably the most famous place in Thailand for Tak Bat Devo.
  (map: https://goo.gl/maps/8RjL6rKpH442)
• In Chiang Mai at Wat Phra That Doi Noi
  I say to Chiang Mai because it is in the province but it is near Chom Thong at 1h30 from Chiang Mai.
  (Map: https://goo.gl/maps/uGxas9EMjHH2)
• Saraburi at Wat Phra Phuttachai
  The temple is 10 kilometers from the city, the ceremony begins at 7 am
  (Map: https: //goo.gl/maps/sUcxMTNjtzy)
• In Phitsanulok at Wat Khao Samo Khlaeng
  Temple about twenty kilometers from Phitsanulok in Wang Thong District.
  (Map: https: //goo.gl/maps/UeBXbSSjWMB2)
• In Kanchanaburi at Wat Ban Tham
  The temple is about fifteen kilometers from the city and has a long staircase that leads to the mouth of the dragon that marks the entrance to the cave of the temple.
  (map: https://goo.gl/maps/JRV7sypTTnz)
• Khon Kaen at Wat Phra Bat Phu Phan Kham
  The temple is located about thirty kilometers from the city near the Ubolrattana dam
  (Map: https://goo.gl/maps/qs9Yhcwcer62)
• In Nakhon Nayok at Wat Khao Nang Buat
  This city is located in Isan outside the tourist circuits.
  (Map: https://goo.gl/maps/es9ek2ULTmv)
• Kalasin at Wat Phuttawat Phu Sing
  The ceremony starts at 7:30
  (Map: https://goo.gl/maps/Y7RyS6uqcqv)
• In Lopburi at Wat Khao Phra Ngam
  It starts at 7am.
  (Map: https://goo.gl/maps/ZD72P7X12T81JWxs5)

Other events for Tak Bat Thewo:

• In Bangkok at the Temple of the Golden Mountain (Wat Saket)
  The only perched temple in the city is the Golden Mountain Temple, which hosts the most spectacular Tak Bat Thewo ceremony in Bangkok. It starts at 7am.
• Lamphun at Wat Phra Phutthabat Tak
  A 40 minute drive from Chiang Mai, here the ceremony is more modest with many fewer monks and crowds than in the ceremonies mentioned above to believe the pictures I saw.
  (map: https://goo.gl/maps/Suz5yJDvCTo)
• A Nan at Wat Phra That Khao Noi
  The temple perched a few miles out of town will also have its Tak Bat Thewo ceremony.
• A Nakhon Si Thammarat at Wat Phattasema
  The Lim Lam community Num Tha Num Dee participates in an ancient ceremony known among locals as “Lak Phra Thang Num” during which a Buddha statue is taken from the temple and placed on a beautifully decorated barge which is then shot in the river.

Impossible for me, to be exhaustive but year after year, I will extend the list. I think that a lot of temples perched on hill with a Naga stairway organize a Tak Bat Thewo ceremony , but I can only say that for sure for the list above for now. In short, if there is a temple with a long staircase not far from where you are don’t hesitate to ask if they do it ! 😉

This year, Tak Bat Thewo will take place on October 14, 2019.