Cambodian people are going to celebrate this year the Kathina Festival, one of the biggest Buddhist festivals in the Kingdom, from Oct. 18 to Nov. 15.
The term “Kathina”, taken from Pali means pieces of cloth, or Chivara, Buddhist monks’ robes, offered by worshippers to the monks who did not leave their pagodas to collect alms as usual for three months (Chol Vossa or Rainy Retreat).
Every year, fifteen days after the Pchum Ben Festival (Festival for the Dead) succeeds the period of Kathina which lasts almost a month, from the first day of the waning moon of Assoch to the fifteenth day of the full moon of Kattik.
During this period of twenty-nine days, Cambodian people of all social backgrounds jointly contribute their donations, either in materials or cash, for the Buddhist monks to build achievements inside their respective pagodas or communities.
Overall, Kathina, celebrated every year throughout Cambodia, is a festival of solidarity between people from all walks of life.
This year, Cambodia is planni
ng to hold a Kathina celebration named the ‘Great Khmer Family Solidarity Kathina’ in Khmer Krom early next month.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate and President of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), said that the planned Kathina to Khmer Krom is organised by the CPP, the Royal Government, the National Assembly, the Senate, the monastic institution, and other national institutions.
According to Samdech Techo Hun Sen, a religious ceremony will be organised at the January 7 Palace, the CPP’s headquarters in Phnom Penh on Nov. 3 in his presence and that of his spouse, Samdech Kittiprittpundit Bun Rany Hun Sen. Then the next day, Samdech Kittiprittpundit will personally join the Kathina procession to Khmer Krom along with Samdech Kitti Sangahapundit Men Sam An, a Member of the Supreme Privy Council to His Majesty the King and a CPP’s Vice President, and many other senior officials.
Khmer Krom is the region in the southwestern part of Vietnam inhabited by ethnically Khmer people who remain
deeply attached to their culture, religion, customs, traditions and ancestral lands.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse