Sart Day

Sart Day falls on the fifteenth day of the waning moon of the tenth lunar month (usually sometime in September).

The Thai word Sart comes from the Pali 'sarada' meaning "autumn season". And corresponds to the rites of Autumn in other parts of the world.

In ancient times, just as in many parts of the world today, people of all races believed that the first fruits of the harvest and of the hunt should be offered to the spirits who were considered guardians of these life forces, to petition them for prosperity and to appease them in times of lack when they were thought to be displeased. Sart Day in Thailand is when this ritual offering is observed.

The food offered for the Sart rite is called krayasart prepared from sticky rice, bean, sugar and sesame which is cooked into a paste and then wrapped in a banana leaf. The krayasart is then taken to the a Buddhist temple to be offered to the monks, the rite being complete when libation water is poured as the monks chant the Dedication of the Transference of Merit. This merit dedication is to benefit all spirits, especially those deceased relatives who are still in the realm of the spirits, so that they have food and water during their transition and that the merit derived from this kind act of sharing assists them to move toward favorable rebirth.

Schedule

10:00 AM: Pindabat (alms-round) food offering to monks.
11:00 AM: Meal offered to the monks.
1:00 PM. Sermon in Ubosoth (in Thai).


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