BUAKAW invites everyone to join his "Toth Kathin festival" held in Samrong Thap.. Surin Province (Buakaw's hometown ) on 8 November.
After the ceremony there will be fights organized between local fighters and children who love Muay Thai from surrounded areas Surin, Si-Saket , Ubon Ratchathani ..etc.
Everyone is invited ... Don't miss this event ..
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Thot Kathin is a traditional Buddhist festival celebrated in Issan (northeast Thailand), Cambodia, and Laos.
The word Thot means making an offering to the monk and the word Kathin literary means the embroidery frame used in sewing the yellow robes which, in those available in plenty as nowadays. Buddhist people regard the “Thot Kathin” ceremony as the most signification form of merit-making nest to the ordination of their close kin. Thus, once in their lifetime everybody is looking forward to having an opportunity to be the sponsor of a Kathin ceremony as it involves a lot of time manpower and expense.
The origin of "thot kathin'' may briefly be told. During the time of Lord Buddha a group of monks on their way to see the
Lord Buddha had to stop and spend a retreat during the rainy season in a certain town before they could reach their destination.
After the retreat ended the monks hastily left before the rainy season had definitely ended. Wet and muddy on their way,they were a sorry sight when they reached their destination. As monks were not allowed at this time to receive robes from anyone and were expected to make their own robes by washing, cutting
and sewing discarded clothing, the Buddha, seeing the dilemma of
the visiting monks, gave permission for any monk to receive a robe presented by anyone during the month after the retreat.
This is the origin of the "thot kathin" ceremony. Later on when the number of robes presented on these occasions did not suffice for all the monks, the Lord Buddha decided that any monk coming out, of retreat; with a robe more tattered (old and torn) than those of his brethren might receive a robe from any person, provided he be well-versed in the
Buddhist Code of Law and provided the donation be approved by all the assembled monks.
Usually in a village or district there is at least one temple meet for religions festive occasions, and the wat also served them in the past as the peoples' spiritual, intellectual and social center. In the old days a village was a self-contained unit. The people grew their own rice and other kinds of vegetable food, built their own honses and other
things by voluntary and reciprocal aid from their neighbors .
They also wove their own cloth. It was the duty of families to train their daughters in the art. of weaving. A girl who could weave skilfully was the pride of her family. Thus there was no cloth for sale in the village. The annual kathin robe for presentation to a monk had to be woven and made beforehand.
Gift-giving is an act of appreciation and gratitude to the monks. Individuals or community groups (such as a village) may perform them. Many villagers combine efforts by collecting cash donations for the maintenance of their local temple. Such donations are vividly arranged on a "money tree".
The "thot kathin" by the villagers is usually never made to their own village wat, but to the wat of another village.
This is a friendly gesture among the different villages, The "thot kathin" is arranged beforehand. When the day of the "thot kathin'' arrives, the donors of the kathin robe will arrange a procession
with music and other entertainments to accompany the kathin robe which is borne either on a decorated cart or on the back of an elephant.
After the ceremony the people of both villages join in games and pastimes until late in the afternoon when the guests take leave of the hosts who may also present them with fruits and other products of the village.
