Thursday, September 12, 2013

prem thai food manner

Thailand Table Manners - Teerameth No.2

Thai Mythical Creatures: kinnari by Prem No.14

Kinnara

A kinnara is a paradigmatic lover, a celestial musician, half-human and half-horse (India) or half-bird (south-east Asia). Their character is clarified in the Adi parva of the Mahabharata

Kinnaras are one of the exotic tribes of Ancient India mentioned along with Devas , the word Kinnara is related to the word Kimpurusha (meaning "what man?" i.e. hermaphrodite, half man-half woman). Legends have it that the original Kinnaras were the troops of Ila, the unfortunate King who was transformed into a woman by means of a curse. Later he/she became a wife of the divine hermit and god of the planet Mercury, Budha, while his former soldiers were turned into kinnara by the hermit Budha.

The epic Mahabharata mentions Kinnaras, not as horse-headed beings but as beings who were half-man and half-horse i.e. like a Centaur. Mahabharata and the Puranas describe regions north to Himalayas as the abode of Kinnaras. Another reference in the epic considers them as a sub-group of Gandharvas.

The Kinnari, (usually spelt 'Kinnaree' as noted below) in Thai literature originates from India, but was modified to fit in with the Thai way of thinking. The Thai Kinnari is depicted as a young woman wearing an angel-like costume. The lower part of the body is similar to a bird, and should enable her to fly between the human and the mystical worlds.

Key words and phrases from the picture

SONGKRAN'S FESTIVAL - Teerameth No.2

Songkran's Festival is one of the most celebrated festivals in Thailand. Songkran Day, which occurs on April 13th, marks the New Year on the ancient Thai calendar.

At this time of the year, Thai people visit temples to offer food to the monks and to participate in bathing ceremonies of Buddha statues. At home, young people pour scented water onto the hands of their parents and elders as a mark of respect. Songkran is also a time to reunite with family members.

The significance of Songkran is water, which is symbolic of the purging of all ills, misfortune and evil and a fresh start of the New Year. This has turned Songkran into a water carnival. Groups of people, friends and strangers alike, line in and wait for their potential victims at street corners with buckets of water ready to splash at unsuspecting passersby. Since April is the hottest month of the year in Thailand, everyone enjoys being soaking wet on Songkran. This is one celebration that definitely should never be missed.