Date might be reflecting on the full moon day as this is a ceremony in which praying and paying respect are made to Buddha and the moon, as well as reversal of flow of the Tonle Sap River. A remarkable fact of Tonle Sap River and Mekong River is the flow of the river back to normal “downstream” directions after up streaming the whole rainy season which greatly help the country to abundant plantation and fishes in the river. Every single city and province joins this festival and the residents are preparing to celebrate by night and day and thanksgiving to the rivers. The local people are gathering at some pagodas at midnight and lighting the candles and entreating for the rain in the upcoming year and plenty of rice crop!
Bon Om Touk
In the ancient time of Angkorian Kings, there might be some heroic competitions among the warriors and heroes. Most of the games intend to be a training as well as the king would selected for this best guards service. The stories were written on the wall where can be found at Bayon Temple and Banteay Chmar Temple. One of the famous competitions is the boat racing and it became a tradition for this festival.
Bon Om Touk
The wonderful water festival lasts for three days while the biggest celebrations of this fabulous time used to take place in Phnom Penh – the capital city of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It includes boat races and numerous concerts; this attracts up to a million people to come down to Phnom Penh during festival period to observe the traditional boat racing. At that time, Phnom Penh city filled with the local from the other cities all over from Cambodia. The Sisowath Quay area were very difficult to walk and it’s like you are rolling with the human flow.
Bon Om Touk
Every year till 2010, the greatly deco colored boats with wonderful paddlers are battled for the remembrance of the great time and to honor for their ancestor. Sometime five rowers drown and another time for a single rower drowns during the boat races along a kilometer-long course.
In the Mekong River, you can see the disco honorable boats to represent each ministry of the country and the people just laid back on the bank of river and enjoy the time with friends. It’s really amazing scene at night. A countless fireworks are also part of the festival theme which will light up the deep blue sky.
All over the festival, there is a special dish you could find every part of the country is Ork Ambok in Khmer, which made from rice. Raw grain rice is fried in the pot, after pounded with the big grinder. Then remove the husk and mixed with coconut and banana. Some families are not prepared all together, but they put in separate plate and nicely decoration in front of their house. When the right time initiate, light the candle and all family members are praying together, of course its midnight.
TNK Travel Team
