Loy Kha Mot Tradition : Inheriting Culture to Strengthen the Community in Lamphun

Abstract

This article entitled Loy Kha Mot Tradition: Inheriting Culture to Strengthen the
Community in Lamphun. The purpose is to point out the tradition of Lay Kha Mot in
the situation of COVID-19 with the inheritance of tradition which is a culture that is
important to the way of life of the people in the community. Culture may change
according to the conditions, the time and the current situation. Loy Kha Mot is a
tradition that the villagers of Ton Thong Subdistrict, Mueang District, Lamphun Province,
including the vicinity held during full moon day of the twelfth month. Villagers use leaf
sheath of banana tree to make Krathong in marquee shape for putting things to float
along the Kwuang River in front of Wat Romaneeyaram or Wat Kuramak. At night, the
candles are lit in the krathongs causing glittering lights to reflect the water surface on
the full moon night along the ghost light (Phi Kha Mot). Phi Kha Mot is the name of the
wild ghost that is nocturnal; there is Roman candles that can be seen periodically by
Lanna people called "Loy Kho Mot". In the activity will be lectures and demonstrations
to educate about making Kha Mot, sand pagoda construction, making the forest gate
and the great Kha Mot procession and the floating Kha Mot ceremony in the evening.
There is a special preparation of rice and fish dishes to make merit as offerings to the
Buddha, listening to Mahãjãti preaching (online) and in the evening, praying for
Buddha’s Montra. These activities lead to listening to the Dhamma to train the mind
and develop the wisdom in making offerings causing the community to come together
in dong the unity activities under social distancing, even if social situations change
people in the community still preserve and inherit the culture.
At present, it is known to general public both local and abroad to promote the
cultural tourism In addition to anything else, whether performing any religious
ceremonies must consider the safety of the community which leads to the inheritance
of culture to strengthen of the community in the future