The traditional Thai New Year Festival (Songkran) this year at Wat Pah Nanachat culminated with a blessing-ceremony in the Sala on April 14, with mutual asking for forgiveness between the Sangha and the lay-community. Afterwards each sangha-member was offered a full bath in a shielded off area in the center of the monastery between the trees, with the laypeople pouring in water from the outside and the monks sitting on a bamboo platform inside, clad in their bathing-cloths, being soaped and rinsed thoroughly by some of the male villagers under a continuous stream of cool water. There was a sense of great friendliness and joy in the air as all participants gradually got wetter and wetter. Also there were some more solemn opportunities to pour water over small statues of the Buddha and Venerable Ajahn Chah, and the hands of Ajahn Kevali, while quietly expressing gratitude, respect and good wishes for the upcoming new year.
