Monks of Luang Prabang
Monks of Luang Prabang
The ancient ritual of the morning alms ceremony (Tak Bat in Lao) takes place daily, as local Laotians rise before the sun to prepare food offerings (most commonly, sticky rice). At dawn, a reverent hush falls over the city as hundreds of barefoot monks stream out of the various temples, – single-file and oldest first – to collect their offerings from locals sitting on their knees with heads bowed. This is the monks only meal for the day, and is a hugely sacred and important aspect of Buddhist lifestyle.
We were fortunate to witness this exotic tradition on our recent trip to Laos, and even as non-buddhists we found it a truly humbling and beautiful interaction. Indeed, the daily alms ritual has become somewhat of a major tourist attraction in Luang Prabang, drawing curious spectators from around the world. Large numbers of visitors are from Thailand who consider giving alms to Monks as a sacred action.
The Buddhist monks of Luang Prabang are truly a sight to behold; their traditional orange robes and calm presence adding to the charm of the crumbling French provincial architecture and 33 active temples around the city.
Lao Buddhist are very devout and almost every Lao man joins a monastery, or temple, for at least a short period of time. Many men also become monks for the rest of their lives. Most people donate food to the monks to gain merit and improve their karma. The temples of Laos were once seen as “Universities” for monks. Lao monks are highly respected and revered in Lao communities.
Photographed by Ramesh Daga
