Tak Bat in Luang Prabang

 

An endless sea of saffron © A. Harrison

As the first light of dawn fell on the day, the faint sound of drums filled the air. They came from every wat, signalling the start of Tak Bat, or the giving of alms. Despite the early rain, the monks walked through the town in a vibrant line of orange and saffron, silently collecting offerings of sticky rice. Every dawn they walk a set route from their various wats, (and with each wat having its own route, an endless procession of monks weaves silently through the streets).

All done in silence © A. Harrison

Locals wait silently on the side of the road, giving offerings of sticky rice to the monks as they pass. Many have been up from before dawn, cooking their offering over an outdoor fire of coals. By giving rice (or ‘making merit’), Buddhists believe they will not go hungry in their next life.

The early morning procession through Luang Prabang © A. Harrison

At the far end of town I stood by myself in the rain. The monks passed in slow procession, accepting the offerings of the locals in gracious silence. A gorgeous old man sat there each morning cooking his offering, always giving a little extra to the younger monks, who seemed little more than seven or eight years old. (By spending even a few years in a monastery, these children receive an education which many parents could not otherwise afford.)

Waiting for the monks © A. Harrison

After the monks had passed, I walked to the end of our street and so to the joining of the rivers. A steep set of stairs led down to the water where a long boat with four monks headed across the river to their wat hiding in the jungle. The image of them disappearing into the mists of dawn, as the drums called across the water, epitomised the magic of Luang Prabang.

monks crossing the river to their wat after Tak Bat © A. Harrison

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