Pchhum Ben Day 3 @ Wat Tuol Tompoung

Wat Toul Tompoung: Gentle rain came in the early morning of the third day of Pchhum Ben. This was my last thing I wished for yesterday. There was no seller at the main gate as it was when I visited the very same place two years back. Disappointed to see a very few goers, I had nothing much to do but scouting locations for the shots I came for. The process time was delayed. Luckily not long before the process started, several bunches of people arrived by cars. It made me forget the fatigue of lack of sleep, when I saw people move to sala into the compound of Vihara, the main building.

I came home with total satisfaction when I visited the temple 2 years ago for the same purpose, but when I looked at those photos again today, I feel… Well, you can see some of these photos here by yourself. I hope when I look at the photos I take yesterday two years later, I can have the same feeling.

Here are some of the photos from yesterday. I will share my best of the day some day later, though.

A short pray before the process

Gathering before the process

The process of giving food to deceased relatives

On the 14th day of Pchhom Ben

It is the 14th day or the second last day of Pchhum Ben (ភ្ជុំបិណ្ឌ), but it is my first visit to pagoda. And yet taking photo was the sole purpose of the visit. I woke up at 3 am and with a Japanese friend of mine went to Tuol Tompong pagod​a (វត្តទួលទំពូង), the closest one to my house.

There were a few people in front of the pagoda and a couple more inside selling Bay Ben (បាយបិណ្ឌ), special sticky rice to offer to deceased relatives, but there were not many people coming as it seemed to be still early. At about 5 am, the procession, the main event that I want to witness, around temple offering the Bay Ben started. It was leaded by an Achar.

As my lens is not equipped with VR (Vibration Reduction), or what Canon calls Stabilizer, without tripod, it is impossible to produce photos in such a dark place without blurring. That was fortunate that my friend brought a tripod with him; and he decided to take video thought he also brought his DSRL along. Gotta buy one tripod too.

A Lady selling Bay Ben inside the Pagoda.

A Boy selling Bay Ben inside the Pagoda.

Listening to monk chanting inside the dinning hall.

Gathering and listening to chanting by Achar before the procession.

Not only old people, there was many young people as well as children as well.