Pchum Ben Day is a major Buddhist festival in Cambodia that is celebrated every year in October. It is a time for Cambodians to remember and honor their deceased ancestors. The festival is also known as the Ancestors' Day or the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts.
The Pchum Ben festival is a 15-day festival that begins on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month. In 2023, the festival will begin on October 13 and end on October 27.
The first day of the festival is a day of preparation. People clean their homes and temples, and they buy food and offerings for the monks. On the second day, people go to the temples to make offerings to the monks and to pray for their ancestors. They also light candles and incense, and they release animals into the wild.
The third day of the festival is the main day of the celebration. People visit the graves of their ancestors and clean them. They also offer food and flowers to their ancestors. In the evening, there are public ceremonies at the temples, where monks give sermons and people pray for their ancestors.
The Pchum Ben festival is a time for Cambodians to show their respect for their ancestors and to pray for their well-being. It is also a time for family reunions and for strengthening social ties.
Here are some of the activities that are typically done during the Pchum Ben festival:
- Visiting the graves of ancestors and cleaning them.
- Offering food, flowers, and other items to the ancestors.
- Lighting candles and incense.
- Releasing animals into the wild.
- Attending religious ceremonies at the temples.
- Making offerings to the monks. Praying for the well-being of the ancestors. The Pchum Ben festival is a significant event in Cambodian culture. It is a time for people to come together and to remember their ancestors. It is also a time for reflection and for renewal.
