Monks bless a house and a birthday girl, Thailand.

Last Sunday I went to a house blessing, I suppose that is what you call it. My friend has bought himself an investment property and will rent it out for 10 or so years and eventually passing it down to his children.

The girls were on hand and of course wanted a picture taken.

Inside the house everything had been set up for the monks, we had to go and pick them up from the nearby temple.

There were 5 monks coming, the set up looked pretty comfortable. The ceremony is to bring good luck and bless the house I suppose.

We picked the monks up and they took their places inside the house.

Some of the younger boys offered ice to the monks for their drinks, usually men do this as women cannot have direct contact with monks, they can receive things from women but usually whatever is being given is placed on what is like a towel and the monks then pulls it to himself.

After giving something to a monk you give a ‘Wai’ or bow to the monks in respect.

Everyone does three deep bows to the monks before they start chanting some mantras.

After all the chanting had been completed and the monks had eaten what we had offered to them, we took them back to their temple and then we could eat. When we got back the girls had already started.

All this food was for just us three foreign guys. Keith is also pouring a beer.

Here is good mate John and the new owner about to tuck into the food.

It was Keith’s daughter’s birthday in 2 days time so he killed two birds with one stone. She looks happy and her friend can’t stop looking at the coffee cake.

Here is the happy family.

Here the birthday girl is cutting the cake with her mum and younger sister watching on.

So that was how I spent a few hours last Sunday.

Brunty