Boun That Luang is celebrated in November and it is the biggest national holiday in Laos. Boun That Luang is more of a Lao Buddhist celebration rather than a Buddhist event. That Luang translates to mean Great Sacred Stupa. "That" comes from a Pali-Sanskrit word "dhatu" which means a component of. "That" refers to a spiral or dome-like structure that commemorates the Buddha's life. This can be seen at the tip of That Luang. This stupa is located in Vientiane.
All government offices close, and school children are off to celebrate. In Australia, America, Europe and other foreign countries, Boun That Luang is celebrated simply by attending the Buddhist temple. The celebrations in other countries does not come close to the festivities in Vientiane. |