are freely indulged in. Thus the
New Year festival called Trut (or Krut) Thai lasts three days. On the
first two days, especially the second, crowds fill the temples to
offer flowers before the statues of Buddha and more substantial
presents of food, clothes, etc., to the clergy. Well-to-do families
invite monks to their houses and pass the day in listening to their
sermons and recitations. Companies of priests are posted round the
city walls to scare away evil spirits and with the same object guns
are fired throughout the night. But the third day is devoted to
gambling by almost the whole population except the monks. Not
dissimilar is the celebration of the Songkran holidays, at the
beginning of the official year. The special religious observance at
this feast consists in bathing the images of Buddha and in theory the
same form of watery respect is extended to aged relatives and monks.
In practice its place is taken by gifts of perfumes and other
presents.

The rainy season is preceded and ended by holidays. During this period
both monks and pious laymen observe their religious duties more
strictly. Thus monks eat only once a day and then only what is put
into their bowls and laymen observe some of the minor vows. At the end
of the rains come the important holidays known as Thot Kathin,[225]
when robes are presented to monks. This festival has long had a
special importance in Siam. Thus Rama Khomheng in his inscription of
A.D. 1292[226] describes the feast of Kathina which lasts a month. At
the present day many thousands of robes are prepared in the capital
alone so as to be ready for distribution in October and November, when
the king or some deputy of high rank visits every temple and makes the
offering in person. During this season Bangkok witnesses a series of
brilliant processions.

These festivals mentioned may be called Buddhist though their
light-hearted and splendour-loving gaiety, their processions and
gambling are far removed from the spirit of Gotama. Others however are
definitely Brahmanic and in Bangkok are superintended by the Brahmans
attached to the Court. Since the time of Mongkut Buddhist priests are
also present as a sign that the rites, if not ordered by Buddhism, at
least have its countenance. Such is the Rek Na,[227] or
ploughing festival. The king is represented by the Minister of
Agriculture who formerly had the right to exact from all shops found
open such taxes as he might claim for his t