Water Festival In Cambodia

Water Festival In Cambodia

Bon Om Thook (Khmer:​ បុណ្យអុំទូក), the Khmer Water Festival, is a Cambodian festival celebrated in November. Every town and province joins in with the celebration but the place to be for Bon Om Thook is Phnom Penh. For three days, workers from every province join with the city's residents to celebrate by night and day.

The river comes alive with fireworks and flotillas of brightly-lit boats and the moon rises over the capital.

The full moon which coincides with the festival is worshiped by many households. The highlight of the festival is a series of boat races. These take place over three days and honour the twelfth century Khmer naval victories achieved under King Jayavarman VII.

Bon Om Thook is ancient; having its roots in a time when the Angkorian kings would test the fighting prowess of their warriors by holding competitions. The races were a form of training and a means by which the king could choose his champions. 

Ork Ambok​ (Khmer: អកអំបុក) is named after the rice dish which forms part of the Bon Om Thook ceremony. Rice is fried in the husk and then pounded with a giant pestle. The husks are removed and the special rice mixed with coconut and banana. This traditional Khmer dish is sold throughout the festival: Orm Ambok, Sampheah Preah Kae, and Bandaet Pratip

Sampheah Preah Kae​ (Khmer: សំពះព្រះខែ) is a ceremony in which salutations are made to the moon. After the Sampheah Preah Kae ceremony people gather at a pagoda at midnight for Ork Ambok

Bandaet Pratip (Khmer: បណ្ដែត​ប្រទីប) begins around 7 pm with illuminated boats taking to the water. Each boat represents a government ministry or state institution.

Bandaet Pratip

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Festival