The gale., 1888-03-03
A LAND OF FESTIVITIES.
MERRY-MAKING IN SIAM, HON u
OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT.
Celebrating the Religious New year
in March-Superstitt ana Gu
r.ouo C,,atoma of the PeODIe.

|
elephant--are preeminently race OF
holiday keepers, says the New York
Commercial Advertiser.
And, not content with innumerable
religious and civic festivals throughout
the year, they must have, not one, but
two New Year's-days the begin
ming of the civil, the other the begin
ming Of the religious year, each of which
is celebrated with great pomp and with
total surrender of business for pleasure
Tor period of from four to eight days. :.
They have two eras, the religious and
the civil the latter dating from the
ascension to the throne of a renowned
monarch, named somdetch Para Rooang,
exactly /, ,244 years ago. They also have
two cycles. one within the other, the
greater being twelve years in duration
and the lesser ten. Each year in each
cycle has its own specific name, such as
/ The year Of the Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit,
Great Dragon, Lesser Oregon, Horse,
| Goat. Monkey. Cock, Dog and Hog.
The Siamese "Choola eakarat," or re-
igious New Year, generally falls on the
iay after the first full moon in the month
Of March. The Bramin astrologer, whose
sole duty it is to point out the aspect OF
the sun. moon and stars, heralds the ap-
| preaching full moon by setting in motion
| all the multitudinous gongs and temple
| bells in the city far and near. The Peo-
pie who are always ready, waiting Tor
this signal, have generally finished thcir
| 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-tongued
instruments is received by the vast popu,
lation that inhabits the valley watercd
by 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 SUI
pers*itious people hasten to frustrate
their evil designs. They bind unspun
cotton thread, consecrated by the priest
round their doors and windows, as the
sacred thread is supposed to prove an
effectual barrier in keeping out the
malicious spirits. This done they place
by the doors of their houses and huts u
platter containing pigs head and
bottle of arrack, as a conciliatory rcpast
Tor the wondering ghosts 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-
sideraton will tempt mortal soul to
venture out of it unt,' sunrise the next
morning.
At sunset every family offers to his
own household gcnii an oblation of
candles, perfumed tapers and roasted
rice. AS for the royal palace, 1000 balls
,f unspun cotton, of seven fibres, conse-
Grated by twenty seven priests, are
reeled round and round the walls, and
from sunset until dawn terrific and
continuous cannonading is heard from
all the forts of the city to rout the evil
spirits that infest the departing year.
But, once this dreadful night is passed,
The terror stricken inhabitants, with a
long g-drawn sigh of relief, prepare to
welcome the new year. Dressed in
many -colored silks, they repair first to
the temples to offer praise and thanks
giving for their deliverance 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, frequenting
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.
~. hon oNcn n 1ssvt,f
and manned by from fifty to 100 paddles,
they fly through the water with lncredi-
BILE speed. BY night the river, upon
ants Of the capital spend the greater part
of their time, is one mass of fire. The
pyrotechnic display on the Menam river
probably unequaled the world over.
Snakes, dragons, fish of all kinds, birds
and beasts and all animate creatures are
manufactured by this clever people, and
| go whizziug through the water, leaving
only trail of light behind, while the
set pieces upon the banks represent the
taking and burning of the cities of theil
enemies, and the gloritcation of theil
sovereign and their Buddha.
All Siamese birthdays are celebrated
| at new ears, anu at tnlS tlHe tne Gu
/ rious custom of chair cutting" is OBJ
served. When boy reaches the age o
eleven or fifteen, and a girl that of min.
or thirteen, they are considered no longe
children. Up to this time tuft of hal
is allowed to grow just above the fore
head, and is always dressed with grea
care. 1t is twisted into a graceful kno
and held together with long gold O
jeweled pin. At tho base of this knot i
worn wreath of fragrant white flow
ers. The ceremonies of hair cutting oftcl
last five or six days. 1t is the "cominl
out party of the boy or girl, and there
after they are not permitted to mingl'
with the other sex as children, but ar
considered to have arrived at marriage
able age.
At the time of the hair cutting of tn
youngest daughter of the late king. tn
entire country assembled at the capita
to witness the services. Plays and pan
tomimes, operas and balls were given tn
people for week the country was in
state of excessive exhilaration. On IT,
last dav a DrOcessiop of Siamese Malavs