Understand the history of the Pchum Ben festival and the traditions of the Khmer people

Pchum Ben Festival is one of the biggest festivals among all Buddhist festivals. Every year, when the day of the Pchum Ben Festival arrives, all relatives, whether near or far, always travel to get together, especially parents in Kanert District, to prepare food, rice, and rice cakes to offer to the monks who live at the monastery. These are a tradition that has been practiced by the Khmer people for a long time.

History of Pchum Ben Festival

According to historical records of Cambodia, the Pchum Ben festival has existed since ancient times. However, in the past, it was not called Pchum Festival. In this ceremony, it was divided into two stages. The first stage is held from the 1st day of the lunar month to the 14th day of the lunar month, which is called Phat (Phat follows the day). The second stage is held on the 15th day of the lunar month, which is called Pchum Festival. These two festivals are currently combined and called Pchum Festival.

* Reasons for celebrating the Pchum Festival

In ancient times, this festival was held to prepare for the monks to be fed and provided for during the rainy season, which lasted for three months from the beginning of the rainy season until the end of the rainy season. In ancient writings, it was recorded that during the rainy season, heavy rains and thunderstorms made it difficult for the monks to go around and give alms. Therefore, the Buddhist monks organized this festival to provide for the monks every day until the end of the rainy season. On the other hand, this festival is held to spread the merit to the seven kinds of relatives, relatives, and relatives of the great family. Through the power of the Sangha, the monks and the monks, who lived in suffering, were born as ghosts with heavy karma, suffered from hunger, and were freed from all hardships and sorrows.

Celebrating the Ben Pchum Festival

For this Ben Pchum festival, the ancient Khmer monks have prepared a 15-day period, starting from the 1st day of the month of Bhadrabot to the 15th day of the month of Bhadrabot, as a ceremony to offer merit to the spirits of deceased relatives. During the 14-day period of holding alms or giving alms, all Buddhist monks at the temple, especially each group, which is organized into groups by the monks, are divided into 3 or 4 small groups to prepare 3 to 4 pots of porridge or 3 to 4 dishes. When the drums are played, the people in each group must start making rice cakes, and the elders in the group must choose a house to collect the rice cakes and prepare the rice cakes. After preparing, they must go to the temple to listen to the monks recite the Sutta of the Dhamma, the Dhamma Sokho, and the Dhamma Parabhava Sutta.

As for the children at home, they must work hard to cook the rice cakes or sala according to each dish separately. When the sun rises in the morning, everyone must prepare themselves, carry, carry, and carry offerings to the temple. In the temple, the abbot must organize a ceremony to count the bowls on the school grounds. Then, the abbot, as the head, must lead the Buddhist monks to offer offerings to the monks, to offer food to the monks, etc. When the monks have finished offering the offerings, the leaders of each group must prepare food and food for the abbot of the temple, as well as arrange for a meal to be served to the guests who have come to the temple on their day.