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Sweet Tamarind Fair
Sweet tamarind is grown mostly in Phetchabun. Sweet Tamarind Fair
is thus organised in Phetchabun to celebrate the harvest of this
fruit. This day is also called Phetchabun's Agricultural Day. During
the festival, farmers bring their sweet tamarind to sell at reasonable
price at Phetchabun's provincial athletic field where contests of
sweet tamarind and other crops are held. Besides this, there are
other agricultural exhibitions and entertainment organised during
the event.
Um Phra Dam Nam
This religious ceremony means the bathing of a Buddha image. This
event is annually held on the fifteenth day of the waning moon in
the 10th lunar month or during the Sat Thai period, in September.
Phra Buddha Mahadhamaracha is a highly revered ancient Buddha image
of Phetchabun. The image was found in the Pasak River by a group
of farmers four hundred years ago and it was then taken to be housed
in Wat Trai Phum. According to a legend, the Buddha image was disappeared
twice from the temple and was later found in water. It was said
that the Buddha image itself had wandered out of the temple. Therefore,
the ritual bathing ceremony is held. The ceremony starts at 1 p.m.
The image is carried around town and put under a tent in Wat Trai
Phum, so Buddhists can pay respect to it and stick gold leaf on
its body. In the evening, prayers are chanted. At night, there are
various kinds of entertainment. The next morning, people make merit
as it is Sat Thai Day. Foods, including Krayasat, and other necessities
are given to monks. The Buddha image is then taken to be immersed
in the Pasak River by the governor of Phetchabun and traditional
dances are performed to show respect to it. After the ceremony,
the water in the river is regarded as sacred. As a result, people
swim in it or take the water to drink before the boat racing begins.
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