In 2024, Friday, 10 May 2024 was designated to be the auspicious Royal Ploughing Ceremony (Phuet Mongkhon Day) or the beginning date for the planting season.
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony is a combination of two ceremonies: the Auspicious Planting Ceremony (initiated during the reign of King Rama IV of the Rattanakosin Era) , a Buddhist rite that is the first-day ceremony held in the chapel of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, a Brahmin rite (that has been in existence across the Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, and Rattanakosin eras) that is the ceremony on the following day at Sanam Luang.
During the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, there will be two divinations performed to forecast the nation’s crop abundance.
The Royal Ploughing Lord’s Sarong Divination. The Royal Ploughing Lord makes a solemn vow and seeks a divination of the sarong. Three sarongs are arranged on a tray and covered with a cloth.
- A 4-cubit sarong predicts that water will be abundant. Rice planted on high ground will yield a good harvest, while rice in low-lying areas may be damaged and not yield a full harvest.
- A 5-cubit sarong predicts that the water will be just right, rice will be abundant, and other fruits and meat will be plentiful.
- A 6-cubit sarong predicts that water will be scarce, with a good harvest of rice in low-lying areas but some damage to crops on high ground, not yielding the best result.
The Sacred Oxen’s Food Divination of seven food options – The Royal Astrologer offers a prediction based on which of seven foods the sacred oxen chooses to eat.
- Rice or corn predicts that grains and fruits will be plentiful.
- Beans or sesame seeds predict that fruits and food will be abundant.
- Water or grass predicts that water will be sufficient, and grains, fruits, and meat will be plentiful.
- Alcohol predicts that transportation will be convenient, foreign trade will improve, and the economy will prosper.
The divinations from the Royal Ploughing Lord and the sacred oxen are auspicious and meant to boost the morale of farmers at the start of the planting season. They also help farmers to be vigilant during planting to prevent potential damage. This is a significant ceremony that showcases the beliefs and close ties between people, animals, and crops, creating a cultural heritage that continues to this day.
ภาพจิตรกรรมฝาผนัง พิธีจรดพระนังคัลแรกนาขวัญ และวิถีชีวิตการเกษตร จากคลังภาพจิตรกรรมฝาผนัง: อู่ทอง ประศาสน์วินิจฉัย
