Thailand’s Festival of Lights
Thailand’s most beautiful festival, Loy Kratong is a holiday celebrated on the evening of the full moon in November. It is a holiday to give thanks and ask for forgiveness to the goddess of water, Phra May Kongka. People believe that by asking for forgiveness they will become clean and that their wishes will come true. With the river and sky glittering and music playing, this holiday could be seen as a national party. Loy Kratong includes certain important factors that cannot be missed out: banana floats, fire lanterns, and the Noppamas Queen contest.
Before the actual day of Loy Kratong, people are often busy preparing for it. Traditionally, Thai people make something called Kratong, which refers to a lotus shaped float. These floats are made out of banana leaves and flowers folded into elaborate designs usually resembling a lotus flower. On the day of the festival, people gather by the river and float it away making wishes to the goddess of water. People believe that by adding in coins or lighting candles on the kratong will make the goddess happy. However, when they float the kratong down the river, they have to hope that it continues to float away, because a returning kratong symbolizes bad luck.
Making wishes are not yet over. After floating your wish down the river, it is time to float them up into the sky. Thai people buy huge fire lanterns which are floated into the night sky after making a wish. Many people write their wishes on the lantern before floating them off, often times making promises to each other. However, getting your lantern stuck in a tree or falling back down to you is meant as bad luck. Also, when thousands of lanterns are floated, it is logical that whatever goes up comes down. If you find your yard the next day with a lantern that had fallen from the night before, this also means bad luck.
Finally, the highlight of the night is the Noppamas Queen contest, which in other words is a beauty contest. Noppamas is a legendary beautiful woman from the Sukhothai era in the fourteenth century. She is known for making the first Kratong which she offered it to the King who then floated it down the river and started this holiday. During the contest, many beautiful woman dress up in the Thai traditional costume and often sing or dance on stage. Then, the woman who wins the contest is known as Miss Noppamas of the year.
Thai people consider festivals and holidays as a very significant day of their lives, especially when it involves the gods or spirits. Loy Kratong is not only to honor the water spirits but to simply enjoy the beautiful and entertaining night. Although this festival requires a lot of preparations and is very crowded, it is a wonderful day to enjoy the beautiful night with friends and families. The sight of both the sky and river glittering in lights is a scene I highly recommend you to see one day.
Hi This is Hana Choi from EIT.
ReplyDelete1. Does the essay have a thesis statement that identifies the process? If so, underline the thesis statement.
A) Loy Kratong includes certain important factors that cannot be missed out: banana floats, fire lanterns, and the Noppamas Queen contest.
I understand this is the thesis sentence but not sure whether explanations about those three things or process will be followed.
2. Does the writer include background information? If so, summarize the information here.
A) Loy Kratong is a holiday to be thankful and ask the goddess of water forgiveness and by doing this, people think their wishes come true.
3. Does each paragraph present a different part of the process?
A) Yes it does.
4. Are the parts of the process organized in a logical sequence? List the sequence here.
A) Before, Making wishes are not yet over, Finally, Then
5. Do the body paragraphs have any facts, definitions, or details? Tell the writer if any of these supporting details aren't sufficient.
A) They contain definition of Kratong, details about what happens during the festival, the definition of Noppamas. These are written in order of time.
6. Does the writer include an evaluation, recommendation, or warning in the conclusion?
A) The writer evaluate the event as entertaining even though it is crowded. Also she strongly recommends people to see the festival.
Hi! I enjoyed reading your essay~
ReplyDeleteHere's my feedback!
1. The essay has a thesis statement. The last sentence of the introduction summarizes the entire essay. It says, "Loy Kratong includes certain important factors that cannot be missed out: banana floats, fire lanterns, and the Noppamas Queen contest."
2. Background information that can be found in the introduction are the celebration date of Loy Kratong and the purpose of this holiday. It's celebrated on the evening of the full moon in November, and the purpose of the holiday is to give thanks and ask for forgiveness to the goddess of water.
3-4. Each paragraph presents a different part of the process and they are organized in a logical sequence. The first paragraph talks about making Kratong and floating it away on the river. Then the Thai people buy huge lanterns and fly them into the night sky. Finally, the holiday ends with Noppamas Queen contest, where beautiful woman dress up in Thai traditional costume and sing or dance.
5. The body paragraphs have facts and details about Loy Kratong. It further explains that there is bad luck if a kratong doesn't float away. Certain words that the readers are unfamiliar with are also explained. For instance, it is stated that "Noppamas" is a legendary beautiful woman from the fourteenth century.
6. The writer recommends the readers to see the glittering sky and river during this holiday.
From Chaelim To Haejin!
ReplyDeleteHello, I really enjoyed your writing.
1. I think 'Loy Kratong includes certain important factors that cannot be missed out: banana floats, fire lanterns, and the Noppamas Queen contest' is the thesis statement.
2. Loy Kratong is a big festival in thailand where people show their appreciation and ask for forgiveness to the god of water. There's many things they do on this day, and it's considered as a national party.
3. I think each paragraph present a different part of the process.
4. All the parts of the process is organized in a logical process. First body paragraph explains about the floating the kratong down the river. Next paragraph is about floating fire lanterns in the sky and wising upon them. Finally, it explains the Noppamas Queen contest that takes place on the night of this holiday.
5. In the body paragraph, it has many informations about this festival. I think details are enough.
6. This essay ends with recommendation.
Thailand’s Festival of Lights
ReplyDeleteThailand’s most beautiful festival, Loy Kratong is a holiday celebrated on the evening of the full moon in November. It is a holiday to give thanks and ask for forgiveness to the goddess of water, Phra May Kongka. People believe that by asking for forgiveness they will become clean and that their wishes will come true. With the river and sky glittering and music playing, this holiday could be seen as a national party. Loy Kratong includes certain important factors that cannot be missed out: banana floats, fire lanterns, and the Noppamas Queen contest.
Before the actual day of Loy Kratong, people are often busy preparing for it. Traditionally, Thai people make something called Kratong, which refers to a lotus shaped float. These floats are made out of banana leaves and flowers folded into elaborate designs usually resembling a lotus flower. On the day of the festival, people gather by the river and float it away making wishes to the goddess of water. People believe that by adding in coins or lighting candles on the kratong will make the goddess happy. However, when they float the kratong down the river, they have to hope that it continues to float away, because a returning kratong symbolizes bad luck.
Making wishes are not yet over. After floating your wish down the river, it is time to float them up into the sky. Thai people buy huge fire lanterns which are floated into the night sky after making a wish. Many people write their wishes on the lantern before floating them off, often times making promises to each other. However, getting your lantern stuck in a tree or falling back down to you is meant as bad luck. Also, when thousands of lanterns are floated, it is logical that whatever goes up comes down. If you find your yard the next day with a lantern that had fallen from the night before, this also means bad luck.
Finally, the highlight of the night is the Noppamas Queen contest, which in other words is a beauty contest. Noppamas is a legendary beautiful woman from the Sukhothai era in the fourteenth century. She is known for making the first Kratong which she offered it to the King who then floated it down the river and started this holiday. During the contest, many beautiful woman dress up in the Thai traditional costume and often sing or dance on stage. Then, the woman who wins the contest is known as Miss Noppamas of the year.
Thai people consider festivals and holidays as a very significant day of their lives, especially when it involves the gods or spirits. Loy Kratong is not only to honor the water spirits but to simply enjoy the beautiful and entertaining night. Although this festival requires a lot of preparations and is very crowded, it is a wonderful day to enjoy the beautiful night with friends and families. The sight of both the sky and river glittering in lights is a scene I highly recommend you to see one day.