The Cambodian Pchum Ben holiday season is here again. For those who arrived in Cambodia recently: What is Pchum Ben ?

The official public holidays this year are from 19-21 September.

https://publicholidays.asia/cambodia/pchum-ben/


Pchum Ben Day or All Soul Day
15 Sep 2017
Running for 15 days, usually from the end of September into October, this festival is dedicated to blessing the spirits of the dead and is one of the most culturally significant in Cambodia. The exact date defers year to year as determined by the lunar calendar. Each household visits their temple of choice and offers food to the monks.

Offering of food is a meritorious act and is one of the oldest and most common rituals of Buddhism. During the Pchum Ben festival, people bring food to the temple for the monks and to feed hungry ghosts who could be their late ancestors, relatives or friends. Pagodas are usually crowded with people taking their turn to make offerings and to beg the monks to pray for their late ancestors and loved ones. Many remain behind at the temple to listen to Buddhist sermons.

"Hungry ghost" is one of the six modes of existence in the ‘Wheel of Life’. Hungry ghosts or ‘Preta’ which means ‘departed ones’ in Sanskrit, are pitiable creatures with huge, empty stomachs and pinhole mouths; their necks are so thin they cannot swallow, so they remain hungry. It is believed that beings are reborn as hungry ghosts because of their greed, envy and jealousy...
http://www.tourismcambodia.com/news/eve ... ul-day.htm

I always stay in the car.

I love going to pagoda for Pchum Ben, it's just amazing.


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Happy Pchum Ben everyone.
Enjoy.

rozzieoz wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:01 pm I love going to pagoda for Pchum Ben, it's just amazing.


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Please post photos

Is PP empty around this time just like when the KNY is going on? It was pretty freaky going through PP then.
When do the locals generally go back "home", at the weekend or Thursday Friday of the end of Pchum Ben?

If you are here for a while it is worth while visiting the pagoda with Khmer friends or families. It gives a bit of insight to their culture and beliefs.
I go during the year if invited as I consider it an honour to be asked to accompany my friends.
Try it sometime.

Username Taken wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:12 pm

bangkokhooker wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:03 pm When do the locals generally go back "home", at the weekend or Thursday Friday of the end of Pchum Ben?

They better be back tomorrow. I'm getting tired of pizza every night.

"pizza", "every night"

No. Don't understand.

Decent video showing what people get up to for Pchum Ben: