Friday, February 14, 2014

Love the Buddha

Happy Makha Bucha-tines Day! Not only is Valentine's Day being celebrated in Thailand today, it's also Makha Bucha Day, an important Buddhist festival that venerates the Buddha's teachings. The occasion is observed in Thailand every year on the full moon day of the third month in the lunar calendar, and this year it just so happens to fall on Valentine's Day. In a place that likes to mix and match various styles and beliefs from different cultures and religions, the combination of a Buddhist holiday with one that has Christian roots is perfectly acceptable here and is even embraced by many. Today, Thais can love the Buddha even more than usual.