Magic Tattoo Festival 2011

Event: Magic Tattoo Festival 2011

Date: 19 March 2011

Time: 9.39 AM onwards

Venue: Wat Bang Phra, Nakhon Pathom

Reservation: No

Magic Tattoo Festival (Wai Khru) is a holy ceremony for Thai tattoos wearers, annually helded at Wat Bang Phra; one of the most famouse temples for magical tattoos in Thailand. In March of each year, people come to Wat Bang Phra to have new tattoos or old ones blessed so that their powers can be recharged. However, most of them make a special effort to visit the temple for the special Wai Khru ceremony once a year where they can pay respect to their tattoo masters (Ajarn).

The hilight of the festival is the bizaar reaction of "possessed" Thai tattoos wearer towards the chant of the monks. The "possessed" people will unconciously and aggressively act like the tattoos they have on thier bodies. Those with tiger will growl and make their hands like tiger's. Those with snakes will hiss and crawl on the ground. Those with monkeys (Hanuman) will jump up and down clapping and making a treble sound. While those with hermits will mumble and walk like an old hunchback man with stick. All of them has the same goal - to reach the shrine - but none of them can as they will be blocked by volunteers who completely know how to calm them down.

Here's the atmosphere of Magic Tattoo Festival:

To join Magic Tattoo Festival and have the best seat nearest to the shrine, going earlier than 9.39 AM for at least 2-3 hours is recommended.

Thanks to "fleaz" for video
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puxhs0Z_y7c