On New Year’s day (this year, April 16), early in the morning, people in their traditional silk dresses and ritual scarves, holding silver bowls and rice boxes, perform Takbaat, the offering of food to monks. Hundreds of monks and novices in saffron robes from all the temples of the city walk in a single file along the streets and devotees place offerings including glutinous rice and sweets in their alms bowls. After Takbaat, lay people climb Phousi, the sacred hill in front of the Palace Museum. They place small rice balls along the staircases and pray at the stupa on top of the hill, which is the foundation stone of the city of Luang Prabang. Baci ceremonies are organised in most of the homes to wish members of the family and friends good health, happiness and prosperity. Young people perform the Khailava Somma rite, which consists in asking the elder members of the family to forgive them their shortcomings. In hotels and guesthouses, the management also organise Baci for their guests. In the afternoon, the second procession takes place, starting from Vat Xiengthong and proceeding back to Vat Mahathat, or Vat That Noi. In the evening, the Naga, a mythical giant serpent who is the protector of Luang Pra-
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bang, accompanied by hundreds of schoolchildren holding lamps will wind its way down from the top of Phousi Hill to the pond in the Palace Museum where it will rejoin the Nagi and procreate for the prosperity of the country. On the second day of the New Year (this year, April 17), the Pha Bang Buddha image is taken in a solemn procession from the Museum to nearby Vat May Souvannaphoumaram. When the statue is installed at Vat Mai, Pou Nyer and Nyar Nyer, the legendary ancestors of the Lao people, are the first to pour scented water on it, followed by dignitaries and the people. The statue will stay three days at Vat May to be worshipped by devotees before being brought in another procession back to the Museum. In the evening of this day, one episode of Phalak Phalam, the Lao version of the Ramayana, will be performed on the grounds of Vat Mai. After that, several dozens of Nang Kaeo, celestial deities, will perform a 14th century dance for the people.
Water, symbol of purity and renewal
Water plays an important role in Pi Mai celebrations. Houses are cleaned and washed. Buddha images are taken down from family altars to be washed and then sprinkled with scented water by all members of the family during the three days. At each temple, some Buddha images are put in small pagodas in the court so that people can pour scented water on them.