Inthakhin Festival at Wat Chedi Luang

It´s been a difficult couple of weeks, and finally it was time to get out and enjoy myself for once. The occasion was the annual Inthakhin Festival held at ¨Wat Chedi Luang¨ right here in Chiang Mai. Over on the left side of this blog I have used an image of the place as my profile picture for over a year now. At first sight, it´s something that looks right out of an Indiana Jones movie. Construction on the original temple structure itself was started in the late 1300´s and wasn´t finished until the mid 1400´s. In 1545 the building was devestated by an earthquake and has undergone many reconstructions and renovations since in an effort to keep it standing as the icon that it is. The most amazing thing about Wat Chedi is the location. It still stands right here in the city center where it has been a gathering point for centuries. It´s only about a 20 minute walk from where I live.

So, what does one do at a festival like this? Well, there are a whole host of merit making activities involving water pouring, flower placing and coin dropping. The end result is to bring good luck upon yourself, and most importantly a good rainy season to ensure a prosperous crop harvest. It´s also a huge social gathering with tons of great food and entertainment. As the festival goes on this week, thousands will visit and do exactly what I did as they have done for centuries. I won´t bore you with all the details. That´s what google is for if you really want to learn more. I did get some great photos and you can check them out on facebook using the public link below. Highlights include ancient temples, monks, dancing llamas, kung fu kids, and deep fried insects!!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.214863698546127.59839.100000674962400&l=43bdeadabd