Loy Krathong - Kartik Poornima

Last week this time I was in Krungthep, I had gone there for Loy Krathong.

I have been going to Thailand since the last 2 years to celebrate Loy Krathong. This festival is very similar to my Kartik poornima, and it is celebrated almost in the same fashion in orissa (I don't know about other provinces/states in India), and Thailand. In Orissa as well as in Thailand we make floats made of Banana trunk and let them loose in the river. I am aware that kartik poornima is celebrated in other parts of India, but probably not in the same fashion as Orissa or Thailand. This year I got along with my GF and her sister Mamaew and Mamaew's fried Koong to make our Krathongs. After eating at MK's we decided to get the supplies, we went to talad thai, the fresh wholesale market in pathumthani to get the supplies, the supplies included, the stalk of banana tree cut into round shape to be the base of the float, flowers including orchids, banana leaf, candles and incense stick.

It was good 2 hours when the girls got busy making the krathongs(banana stalk boats) at Maew's place. I did nothing other than disturbing them, asking lots of questions, and taking pics. When we completed making the krathongs at around 7:30 we went to the ancient city of Ayuthaya which is similar sounding to our Ayodhya, this was once the capital of Siam kingdom and it was raged by the invading armies of the kingdom of Burma.

This was my 2nd visit to Ayuthaya on Loy Krathong, so most of the places were familiar to me, we had fun letting our krathongs go, and prayed for the blessings of god. the river shore was a mess with so many people cajoling to get a foothold to float their krathongs. after the melee was over we got along to see, had fin eating some snacks and then finally off to Krungthep.

The next day I asked my mom about the festival in India, she said that we in orissa celebrate it by floating the banana stem boats early in the morning instead of the night. I remember me having gone to the river early morning with my aunt to do the same.

memories, similarities, culture... I am simply amazed.