"The family" -- Sara, her mom and dad, Amber and I -- started our day with a delicious feast at Govindas Restaurant, a popular Italian vegetarian restaurant which offers an array of veggie dishes, from fake bacon and sausage to a baked spinach and mozzarella dish -- which was my personal favorite. We had great conversation, and the most memorable part for me was the discussion of women's roles in the Buddhist tradition -- and how they are largely discriminated against when it comes to being ordained and revered in a similar fashion as men. Sara's mom told us a great story of her strong-willed grandmother who became a nun and founded a separate center for nuns who did not want to partake in the subservient roles of most, including tasks such as cooking and cleaning for monks. Instead, her center offered devout women a sanctuary where they could practice their faith in the same manner as men, though they were still systematically denied the same status as monks (as a symbol of the separate and unequal status of monks and nuns, nuns are barred from wearing yellow, saffron robes, and instead wear white).
After lunch, we lounged around until Mr. Lehman guided us out for an evening celebration of the Thai national holiday. This year, May 19 marked the holiest day in Thai Buddhist culture. Visakha Bucha Day (Bucha meaning to pay homage to) commemorates three important aspects of the Buddha's voyage as a spiritual leader: his birth, enlightenment and death. The celebration was beautiful, set at the the Wat Benchamabophit, also known as the Marble Temple. The Marble Temple is exquisite -- the outside is defined by stunning columns of smooth, white marble, which meet golden rooftops reflecting some of the most revered Thai architectural designs in the country. Built in 1899 by H.R.H. Prince Narisranuvattivongse, the half brother of Chulalongkorn, Rama V, this temple is a main attraction for tourists and is used today by many monks for meditation and educational purposes throughout their practice.As we arrived at the Marble Temple, I was taken aback by the droves of Thais who carried lotus flowers, incense and burning candles as they engaged in a walking meditation, circumambulating the radiant temple. We joined the group, walking slowly and experiencing the uplifting, spiritual energy that emanated from the crowd. As we completed one circle and made our way to the front of the temple, I became enthralled by the numerous people lighting candles and saying prayers at designated areas for individual devotion. The area surrounding the temple was crowded with devotees, Thais, photojournalists and even some farangs -- all of whom gathered to witness this annual event.
We made our way inside the temple, walking through the courtyard which held an elaborately decorated shrine, and various statues of the Buddha. We took off our shoes (or the infamous boot, in Amber's case), and headed into the temple to sit with other individuals paying their respects. The statue of the Buddha in the middle of the temple was composed of 2.5 tons of bronze and is known as "Phra Buddhajinaraja." This Buddha holds the ashes of King Rama V, and sits atop a LOTUS flower.One of the highlights of the ceremony was a speech made by an older monk (the topic and content of which is unknown to me due to the language barrier), and the appearance of many other monks who descended from the temple entry down the stairs, into the front of the gathered crowd. They engaged in chanting, and then led the way for another round of circumambulation.
After this wonderful experience, we hopped in a taxi and followed Mr. Lehman to our "surprise" destination. We stopped at a local store and ordered three portions of sticky rice with fresh, succulent chopped mango, to which we added sweet coconut milk and nuts (or rice krispies according to Sara) to. As I explained to Sara, Amber and Mr. Lehman, that meal combined all of my favorite foods -- namely, rice and mangoes!
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