Dinner In The City Of Monkeys, Lopburi,Thailand on 25 November.
On the last Sunday of November- a holiday in the city of Lopburi Monkey, a small town in central Thailand,150 km north of Bangkok. The wildest in the world a dinner held in honor of
long-tailed macaques, which merged with the local community, despite the
tendency to pickpocketing and his restless nature.
Monkey Business
In order to assess the meaning
of this celebratory banquet is necessary to understand the role played by
monkeys in Lopburi life. Macaques are an integral part of the community, have
complete freedom in the city, go into any public accommodation, use of the
road, just like any other citizen of the city. Despite the theft with locals
and tourists, an insidious and destructive tailed scoundrels, the citizens
believe that the monkeys bring good luck and wealth (at least in the form of
the baht that bring tourists).
The tradition dates back to
the worship of the divine monkey monkey Hanuman and his army of monkeys, who
saved Sita, wife of Lord Rama, from the clutches of the demon. Since then, Thais
revere monkeys, as the descendants of the god-hero, and treated with respect to
these annoying creatures. Among those who worship monkeys, the owner of the
hotel Lopburi Inn. At the entrance to the hotel for many years, you can see a
large statue of a monkey. Once the statue was installed, the business went.
Attributing this success to the monkeys, he decided to thank them and cover the
holiday table. The first banquet was held in 1989, and it traditionally takes
place every year since then.
The festivities begin at 10
am, right at the house of monkeys, among the overgrown ruins of an ancient
temple. Temple of Phra Prang Sam Yot not hard to find, it is located on
Vichayen Road 200 meters from the train station. Preamble The banquet consists
of musical performances and dancing monkeys (scenes which you can see in the
movie Baraka, director Ron Fricke). After the speech, the Governor of Lopburi,
monkeys are invited to the banquet.
Invitations to the banquet -
cashew nuts, sent tailed guests, while the chef prepared meal: sweet rice,
tropical fruit salad, frozen in ice cubes and a dessert made from egg yolks,
known as thong yod. First monkey surprisingly well and even behave timidly,
feeling views spectators gathered to watch what they eat at long tables, wrapped
in red cloth.
Fruko tum battle
In the end, diners monkeys
accustomed to curious onlookers, and begin to dance on the tables, throwing
soda into each other, throw pudding and terribly noisy. Generous holiday soon
disappears, mainly in the stomachs of satisfied monkeys, but quite simply falls
to the ground. All completed an afternoon slumber and swinging on the branches
of the surrounding trees.
Maybe monkey buffet festival
seem a little strange, but it is a simple, clean, and says with a central aspect
of Thai culture. The value of monkeys throughout Thai history and the fact that
they can coexist with people, cannot be overestimated. In monkeys, we see an
exaggerated reflection of ourselves, and it reminds us that no matter how
different we are, tolerance to bring good luck to all.
Tips
Explore the ruins . Temple of
Phra Prang Sam Yot steal your attention for a whole day. Khmer temple was built
by the architects, as well as more famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. This style is
characterized by the distinctive Khmer details, reliefs and blind doors and
windows. Keep in mind a few things when it comes to dialogue with monkeys : do
not look them in the eye, they perceive it as a challenge or a threat (and can
attack). Do not wear smuggling food into a bag or pocket, they'll find out. Be
supportive and stay relaxed. Animals are very sensitive to the emotions stick
for self-defense costs 20 baht, try not to use it. Monkeys can steal your
stuff, but do not forget that you are a guest at their dinner. Watch the movie
Baraka , it is set on a trip and prepare for some of the things that you may
encounter.
Practicalities
Flight to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
Airport. Lopburi is a 3-hour train ride from Bangkok, the train goes through
Ayutthaya. Celebrations are concentrated in Prang Sam Yot, the Khmer temple to
the north of the railway station. In Lopburi there are a few available hotels
and hostels. Try Noom Guesthouse - traditional bungalows, simple but
comfortable.
