That Luang Festival

According to Google, a stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics. This particular stupa is far more than a mound. It has spires, is painted gold, is impressively large and is said to contain an actual hair from the Buddha's head. It shimmers in the sunset. It will serve as the logo for the upcoming SEA (Southeast Asia) Games, to be held in Vientiane from December 9-18, 2009. For one week during the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, the faithful make a procession around the great stupa. They carry miniature temples created from the stems of banana trees and decorated with little orange blossoms and larger yellow blossoms made of wax and beautifully-folded kip notes woven together like the tails of kites, fluttering in the breeze. The carnival/bazaar/festival peaks on the morning of the full moon with the Takbat ceremony where monks from all over the country receive alms. All Lao cultures participate, dressed up in their ethnic garb. Many schools and villages have banners and bands with drums, keyboards and pipes and join in the parade, marching around That Luang three times, then laying their gifts carefully at the foot of the stupa with the thousands of others. At night they carry candles.

There were crowds on Sunday afternoon when I went with Po's secretary to observe the festivities. I saw more westerners than I've seen my entire trip--times ten. The celebration finished Monday night with an extensive stage show, a feast and a firework display. Both Lao TV stations covered it. If you ask a Lao person about the great stupa, they will not know what you're talking about. But every Lao knows That Luang.