Trang Province Holds Gold-Leaf Ceremony for Father Silver Buddha
Trang province’s Wat Tha Phaya holds its yearly gold‑leaf ceremony for the revered Father Silver Buddha, featuring a procession of cow‑shaped sweets and traditional manora dance. Devotees who have had their prayers answered bring the sweets as offerings, believing the ritual brings continued blessings. The event, rooted in a historic plea for lost cattle, draws crowds from nearby villages and provinces for three days of merit‑making and cultural celebration.
The ceremony takes place annually at Wat Tha Phaya, an ancient temple founded in 1919 and relocated to its present site in 1921. Participants include monks, local officials, and crowds from four villages in Tha Phaya sub‑district as well as from neighboring districts and provinces. A vibrant parade winds its way along the Trang‑Palian road, with manora dancers, beauties, and devotees carrying elaborately decorated cow‑shaped sweets to the temple. According to long‑standing belief, those whose wishes are fulfilled return to offer the sweets as a token of gratitude, hoping to maintain good fortune. Abbot Phra Maha Rattanakorn Pavaro recounts that the tradition originated from villagers’ pleas for lost cattle, which they believed were answered by the Father Silver Buddha, prompting the sweet‑offering ritual. The three‑day celebration also includes religious activities, manora performances, and homage to three former abbots of the temple, drawing large crowds seeking merit and community solidarity.
