Thai Topknot-cutting Ceremony
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The topknot-cutting ceremony or ''kon chuk'' (, ) is an ancient Thai ceremony that used to be popular in the fourth reign. It is often held with other auspicious ceremonies such as the House Blessing Ceremony. ''Kon chuk'' is a ceremony for children who are between seven and thirteen years old.


Custom


Before the ''kon chuk'' day

People have to prepare a place at a children's home or a
temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
and prepare items which include a table for auspicious
ritual A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions or behaviors that alters the internal or external state of an individual, group, or environment, regardless of conscious understanding, emotional context, or symbolic meaning. Traditionally ...
items, a table
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, scissors, holy thread,
holy water Holy water is water that has been blessed by a member of the clergy or a religious figure, or derived from a well or spring considered holy. The use for cleansing prior to a baptism and spiritual cleansing is common in several religions, from ...
,
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, and food for monks.
Buddhist monks A ''bhikkhu'' (, ) is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male, and female monastics (''bhikkhunī''), are members of the Sangha (Buddhist community). The lives of all Buddhist monastics are governed by a set of rules called the prātimo ...
are invited to the ceremony.


On the ''kon chuk'' day

The child must be dressed in new and beautiful clothes. Then parents of the child take the child to the place where they are prepared for the ''kon chuk'' ceremony, and the monks will start chanting Chayanto, which is a Thai prayer. When the chanting is finished, a monk cuts a bit of the child's hair, and then adults who could be mother, father, or a person who the child highly respects can continue to cut the child's hair. Next, parents of the child take the child to a place where is prepared for pouring holy water. Then adults start pouring holy water on the child from the most respected person to the less respected person. The child's hair that was cut is put on a lotus leaf that is floated on the water, and the adults will pray for the child.


References

{{Reflist Culture of Thailand Ceremonies in Thailand Cultural history of Thailand