Kathin Ceremony
Kathin Ceremony is one of the merit making festivals in Thailand. The ceremony is about offering new robes to the monks who live in the Buddhist temples. The full name of this festival is "Thot Kathin". The meaning of the word "Thot" is to making an offering to a monk and the word "Kathin" means an embroidery frame.
The Kathin Ceremony is held after the end of three month Rains Retreat from July to September. People celebrate an annual presentation ceremony every year soon after the end of rainy season. They distribute clothes, money, kitchen equipment and other tools to monks.
The people of Thailand believe that the Kathin Ceremony is the most significant merit making festival. Everyone in the country actively takes part in this festival. It is said that people look forward this ceremony as an opportunity to sponsor clothes for monks at least once in their lifetime. However, not everyone can sponsor since the ceremony can be pretty expensive. When this happens, people, who cannot afford to be sole sponsors, join together perform what is known as United Kathin. Here different people come together to offer gifts to the monks and share the costs of the gifts.
People travel to many places in order to celebrate this festival. Sometimes they even go to other countries in search of Buddhist temples located in various places to offer gifts to the monks in those temples. The Kathin Ceremony is an opportunity for Buddhists in Thailand to gain merit and it is also looked upon as a holiday since people can escape from their regular lives and spend time with their families.
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