The Night We Held the Spirit of Loy Krathong.

baanunrak5
6 days ago
2 min read

Thailand has many beautiful festivals, and one of the most enchanting is Loy Krat

hong. It is mystical and subtle by nature, but unfortunately, in many places it has become a time mainly for gathering, shopping, and entertainment.

At Baan Unrak, we always try to preserve the inner spirit of the festival. This has not been easy, because the children inherited from the community the idea that Loy Krathong is simply an opportunity to hang out and make noise.

This year, however, they understood it differently. They wanted to honor the beloved Queen of Thailand after her passing, and the celebration became peaceful and truly mystical.

Loy Krathong does not begin in the evening when we light the candles and offer our krathong. It begins the day before, with planning, and continues next day from morning till evening spent time gathering leaves and flowers, arranging them into floating boats, and adding incense and candles. It is very much a community effort, coming together to create something beautiful and harmonious.

Everyone joins, from the very young to the very old. Each person has a role, an unspoken duty. Everyone naturally finds their place and knows what to do without being told. It is cooperation guided by the desire to create beauty. The feeling is one of harmony, sharing, and gentle movement.

Inside, everyone understands the true spirit of Loy Krathong and lives it from the first moment of gathering materials. From early morning, the mind is already anticipating the beauty of the night.

In the evening, as the sun sets and the sky darkens, everyone gathers as if called by something invisible. We know where to go, ready to enjoy being together, connected to the moonlight, to the elements, to water and wind. We sang, as always, Baba Nam Kevalam – Love is all, and meditated before the offering so that our minds could become pure and connect even more deeply with nature.

After the meditation, Didi—the eldest mother who guides our home—offered the first krathong in the waterway around our Bheravi Cakra. She lit the candle, and the older children followed, taking responsibility and helping the younger ones with their offerings. The care mothers also accompanied the little ones, ensuring they were safe and able to place their krathong on the water. As the first light touched the surface, it came alive and began to move like a mandala. Seen from above, our circular formation would have appeared as a blooming shape of light, creating a unique moment of beauty.

The offerings to the water were accompanied by the children’s chanting, continuing until the very last krathong was released: Baba Nam Kevalam – Love is all.