Candle festival, Buddhist celebration in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
The Candle Festival is a Buddhist celebration held in Ubon Ratchathani, in northeastern Thailand, where large wax sculptures mounted on floats are carried through the city streets. The sculptures can reach several meters in height and are made by local craftspeople in the weeks leading up to the event.
The practice of giving candles to monks at the start of Buddhist Lent goes back centuries and began as a simple act of devotion. Over generations, the gifts grew more elaborate until the wax sculptures became the centerpiece, turning the local tradition into one of the most recognized events in northeastern Thailand.
The wax sculptures are shaped by hand over many weeks and depict scenes drawn from Buddhist scriptures. During the parade, many residents wear traditional dress and walk alongside the floats as part of dance and music groups.
The festival takes place every year at the start of Buddhist Lent, usually in July, and the main parade moves through the center of Ubon Ratchathani. Finding a spot along the route early in the day is a good idea, as the crowds build up quickly all along the street.
Although the sculptures look like candles, they are never lit and are often displayed in temple grounds after the festival ends, where visitors can see them throughout the year. Some of these works have been taken into public collections after their first showing at the event.
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