The Royal Ploughing Ceremony, Cambodia

www.hanuman.travel The Royal Ploughing Ceremony has been an annual tradition for many centuries. The traditional ceremony is used to mark the onset of the rainy season, and dictates when the farmers must prepare their fields for the next crop of rice. This year the Ceremony, 'Pithi Chrat Preah Neang Korl', will be held at the Veal Preahmein Square, situated across the road from the northern perimeter of the Royal Palace, Phnom Penh. Cambodian farmers will be waiting anxiously as the traditional ceremonies are undertaken to try and predict the weather for the coming year. The festival consists of a symbolic ploughing procession before his majesty King Norodom Sihanouk. At the end of the procession, harnesses are removed from the oxen and they are led to seven golden trays containing rice, corn, sesame seeds, beans, grass, water and wine. The oxen are allowed to eat from any of the trays and, depending upon their choice of feed, the Cambodian people believe that they can prognosticate the weather for the coming year and determine the harvests. If you would like more info on this Traditional Event and others in Cambodia to plan your trip around them please contact our sales team - sales@hanumantourism.com www.hanuman.travel