Pchum Ben Festival - Feeding the Spirits

14 Sep 2012 - 16 Sep 2012
Place: Siem Reap

Also called Ancestor's' Day or Festival of the Dead, Pchum Ben is, according to legend, a time where spirits of deceased relatives and ancestors walk the earth, and people visit their local temples to pay their respects by offering rice and food to eat.

Packing food is an important part of the Pchum Ben preparations in Cambodia...

The fifteenth day of the tenth month of the Khmer Calendar marks one of the most traditional and colourful festivals in Cambodia with people dressing up in traditional clothing to visit their local pagodas with food and offerings and pay respect to their ancestors.

Literally speaking, Pchum Ben, or more precisely Prachum Benda, can be translated to 'gathering together to make offerings', and that's exactly what families do when they visit the pagodas.

Pchum Ben day is the fifteenth and final day of the Pchum Ben festival with its finale where many families gathering in mass for the festivities at the local Buddhist temple. The days leading up to the last day of Pchum Ben are also of great importance as families visit the pagoda many days, and in some cases every day, for fourteen days prior to the end of the celebration. These days are called Kann Ben and each Kann is numbered up to fourteen. Each morning before sunrise on Kann Ben, traditional foods are prepared for the spirits to enjoy.

Typical favourite foods includes:

• Nom ansom - a delicious sticky rice dish wrapped in banana leaves with assorted fillings
• Nom kom - a tasty sticky rice and bean dish, wrapped in banana leaves with either sweet or savoury fillings
• Nom kmei - similar to nom kom, but with filled with grated coconut and palm sugar
• Amok - a traditional and hugely popular fish dish steamed in banana leafs with a variety of mixed spices and herbs
• Bai ben - sticky rice moulded into balls with sesame seeds

The Bai Ben is also prepared and thrown around the temple grounds for lost souls or those who have no relatives alive to send offerings.

Urns of ancestors placed at the temples are cleaned and taken to a main prayer room. Names of ancestors are listed and invited to in the celebrations, if they do not receive an invite they are unable to receive offerings. At the end of the day participants will join the monks in prayer and chanting in the main prayer room called a ‘viheara’.

Prior to the midday sun, candles and incense sticks are lit and the food preparations are given the monks. The invitation list with names of ancestors are read out loud and then burned. This ritual is performed to allow the ancestral souls to where their families are. It is said to that families then come together to celebrate and commemorate life. After eating the wonderful foods prepared, the monks pray and shower holy water over families and their ancestors. This time is a spiritual time of remembrance and to receive good karma that the ancestors are said to bring them with them.

On the last day of Pchum Ben, the above ceremony is performed on a larger and grander scale.  The importance of the last day is centred around those souls who may have bad karma, Priad spirits, as this is the only day that they may receive offerings and it’s said that they could benefit from the good karma going around. It is believed that Priads are afraid of light and will only connect with their living relatives during the darkest day of this lunar cycle, the day of Pchum Ben and receive prayers and offerings.

Reincarnation is deeply enrooted in Cambodian and Buddhist culture, and Pchum Ben is a time of reunion, remembrance and celebration. When families have the opportunity to show appreciation for one's ancestors and show their love for them. The offerings of food and good karma may aid lost souls and guide them back into the cycle of reincarnation. If ancestors are reincarnated, their second chance is to collect good karma for themselves and nurture a peaceful inner spirit this is the final blessing living relatives wish for their ancestors.

Sues’day Bonn Pchum Ben…!!!

Accommodation in Siem Reap and travelling during Pchum Ben

In terms of accommodation and travelling around the country, The Pchum Ben Festival is, along with Chinese and Khmer New Year, one of the busiest periods of the year in Cambodia, with both buses and local hotels and guesthouses filling up early. So it is usually a good idea to book both tickets and accommodation in advance. If you are looking for accommodation in Siem Reap around the time of Pchum Ben, you might want to check out these fine properties that offer good value.

Sokha Angkor Resort
Conveniently located in the centre of Siem Reap with walking distance to the Old Market, Sokha Angkor Resort offers a range of tastefully decorated rooms and suites. Additionally,  you will find an outside salt water swimming pool, its signature Jasmine Spa to loosen up tense muscles and a variety of fine in-house dining options

Borei Angkor Resort and Spa
With a range of exquisite rooms and suites, Borei Angkor Resort and Spa. Fresh fruit juices and other drinks can be enjoyed at the lobby bar in the main building or the pool bar surrounded by a tropical garden. The Borei Restaurant offers a variety of traditional Khmer dishes as well as international fare and guests can opt to eat in the air-conditioned restaurant or al fresco on the pool terrace with live traditional music.

Angkor Palace Resort and Spa
Located in an 11-hectare landscaped garden, Angkor Palace, or simply 'The Palace', is a retreat where you can get away from the hustle bustle of the Siem Reap town centre. You will feel the essence of total relaxation whether you like being pampered at the Spa, lounge by the pool or finish the night with a long refreshing drink in the in-house lounge.

Allson Angkor Paradise Hotel
Allson Angkor Paradise Hotel offers a high standard of all-day dining, refreshments and a la carte menus featuring local Khmer and continental cuisine. Pamper yourself to a sip at The Paradise Bar located conveniently in the hotel lobby. It is an ideal corner to catch up on the day with friends or for business, after work cocktail and late evening rendezvous with music entertainment.

Soria Moria Boutique Hotel
Soria Moria Boutique Hotel is centrally located in the popular Wat Bo Area and offers a combined experience of traditional Khmer hospitality and Scandinavian sophistication. The spacious air-conditioned rooms all have complimentary wi-fi access, cable TV, mini bar and complimentary water. The en-suite bathroom has a large bathtub with shower and locally produced amenities.

My Home Tropical Garden Villa
Located a 5-minute walk from the hustle bustle of Siem Reap's Old Market area, My Home Tropical Garden villa is locally owned and operated and offers 'hotel standards at guesthouse prices' - in other words, an excellent choice for those travelling on a tight budget. The newly-buildt swimming pool and traditional Khmer massage treatments can also be arranged to relieve sore limbs after exploring the temples.