Richland beacon., 1888-02-25
A LAND OF FESTIVITIES.
MERRY MAKING IN SIAM, HOME
OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT.
Celebrating the Religious New Year
in March-SupcrstitiO and Gu
riOus Customs Ofth People.

drous country Of perpetual summcr-th
land of the lotus and the whit
elcphant-arc prc-cminently race o
holiday keepers, says the New lorl
Commerrid Id, er'is,r.
And, not content with innumcrabl,
religious and civic festivals Throughout
the year, they must have, not ore, bu
two New Years s-days-onc the begin
ming of the civil, the other the begin
ming of the religions year, each of whicl
is celebrated with great pomp and with
1 total surrender of business for pleaSur,
for a period of from four to eight days.
They have two cras, the religious and
the civil, the latter dating from tn,
ascension to the throne of n renowned
monarch, named Somdetch Para RoOang
exactly 1,24 years ago. They also lriv,
two cycles, one within the other, tn,
greater being twelve years in duration
and the lesser ten. Each year in cacl
cycle has its own specific name, such Il,
The year of the Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit,
Great Dragon, Lesser Oregon. Horse,
Goat, Monkey, Cock, Dog and Hog.
The Sianese 1 hoola Sakarat," or re
ligious New Year, generally falls on tho
lay after the first full moon in the month
Of March. The Bramin astroloyer, who's,
sole duty it is to point out the aspect OF
the sun, moon and stars, hcrads the ap-
preaching full moon by setting in motion
all the multitudinouS gongs and temple
bells i'll the city far and near. The pcO-
pie who are always ready. waiting for
this signal, have generally finished their
business for the year; debts have been
paid off, accounts closed, merchandise
disposed of, and all actual traffic of buy
ing and selling suspended three days
previous to the expected event. The an
nouncement made by the many-tongucd
instruments is received by the vast poru-
iation that inhabits the valley watcrcd
10y the beautiful Mcnam river with fear
and trembling, for they firmly believe
that this is the witching hour when the
very atmosphere of the world is alive
with gods, demons, genii and hobgob-
lins, and forthwith the anxious and su-
perstitious people h 'sten to Illustrate
their evil designs. They bind unspun
cotton thread, consccratcd by the priest.
round their doors and windows. as the
sacred thread is supposed TO prove an
eiiectual Earrier i'll keeping out the
malicious spirits. This done they place
by the doors of their houses and huts u
platter containing pigs head and a
bottle of arrack, as Il conciliatory repast
for the wondering CHESTS that may de-
sire to regale themselves during the
night; after which the whole city, like
The snail, draws in its horns and no con-
sideratiOn will tempt mortal soul to
venture out of it until sunrise the next
morning.
At sunset every family offers to his
own household gcnii an oblation of
candles, perfumed tapers and roasted
ri7e. AS for the royal palace, 1000 balls
If unspun cotton, of seven tibres, cOnse-
Grated by twenty-seven priests, are
.ecled round and round the walls, aud
from sunset until dawn terrific and
continuous cannonading is heard from
all the forts of the city to rout the evil
spirits that infcst the departing year.
But, once this dreadful night is passed.
The tcrror-stricken inhabitants, with n
long-drawn sigh of relief, prcpuc to
welcome the new year. Drc scd in
many ny-colorcd silks, they repair first to
the temples to offer praise and thanks
giving for their delivcrancc and to make
handsome gifts to the priests, and not
until they have propitiated Buddha and
Buddha's earthly representatives do they
think of their own merrymaking.
Now the holiday is begun, and for
days every one surrenders himself or
herself to dancing, singing, frcqucnting
the theatre and other public places OF
amusements, and to every conceivable
kind of out-of-dOOr sports. Boat racing
is favOrite amusement at all times, and
at the New Year festivities the great
races of the year are won and lost.
Their racing boats are long. light canoes,
and manned by from fifty TO 100 paddles,
they fly through the water with Incrcdi-
bic speed. BY night the river, upon
and in which the ma ajority of the inhabit-
ants of the capital spend the greater part
Of their time, is one mass of fire. The
pyrotechnic display on the Menam river
at the Siamcse New Years festivities is
probably une4ualcd the world over.
Snakes. dragons, fish of all kinds, birds
AMI beasts and all animate creatures are
manufactured by this clever people, and
20 whizziug through the water, leaving
only a trail of light behind, while the
set pieces upon the banks represent the
taking and burning of the cities of their
enemies, and the gloritication of their
sovereign and their Buddha.
All Siamcsc birthdays are celebrated
at New Years, and at this time the Gu
rious custom Of chair cutting" is OBJ
serted. When boy reaches the age of
eleven or fifteen, and girl that of nine
or thirteen, they are considered no 'Ongcr
children. Up to this time tuft of hair
is allowed to grow just above the fore
head, and is always dressed with great
care. 1t is twisted into u graceful knot
and held together with long gold or
jewelcd pin. At the base of this knot is
worn wreath of fragrant white flow
ers. The ceremonies of hair cutting often
last five or six days. 1t is the coming
out party" of the boy or girl, and there
after they are not permitted to mingle
with the other sex as children, but arc
considered to have arrived at marriage.
able age.
At the time of the hair cutting of the
youngest daughter of the late king. the
entire country assembled at the capital
to witness the seryice& Plays and pam
tomimes, operas and balls were given the
people for week; the country was in a
state of excessive exh;laration. On tie
last day procession of Siamese, Malays,
Chinese, Pcguans, Burmese, Laos, Karens
and japanese filed past the king and his
lovely daughter, seated upon throne of
gold. Groups of pretty women danced
at the foot of the throne with small
silver trees in their hands-the symbol
of maiden Durity Soft music issucd