We're here to help you keep count of the days to or since a date. Just click the button below and enter your chosen date to get started. Also choose the suggested days or search for a special day above #countingthedays
The Royal Plowing Ceremony, known locally as "Pithi Chrat Preah Neanng Korl" in Khmer, is an ancient royal rite held in Cambodia to mark the traditional beginning of the rice-growing season. This ceremonial practice is deeply rooted in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
The origins of the ceremony can be traced back to the Angkor era when the divine right of kings was established, and agriculture was vital to the empire's economy. The ceremony symbolically ensures a successful planting season and is meant to forecast the upcoming harvest's yield.
During this annual event, which typically takes place in May at the beginning of the rainy season, members of the royal family and high-ranking officials gather with farmers and citizens. The King or a designated representative presides over the ceremony.
A sacred ritual is performed where two sacred oxen plow a furrow in a ceremonial ground, followed by sowing pre-ordained seeds by royal palace officials dressed in traditional costumes. Afterward, the oxen are offered plates containing rice, corn, green beans, sesame seeds, freshly-cut grass, water, and wine. Based on what they choose to eat or drink first, fortune tellers predict whether there will be bountiful harvests and prosperity or potential hardships for specific crops.
People across Cambodia celebrate by taking part in festivities and agricultural fairs. They also pay respect to their ancestors and seek blessings for their crops. It's an occasion when farmers take a break from their daily routine hoping for a prediction of good rains and abundant harvests for the year.
The Royal Plowing Ceremony remains an important cultural event that combines religious traditions with agricultural practices—highlighting its significance in Cambodian society to this day.
