29 Jun Alms giving ceremony
We woke up at 04.30am so we could go and watch the alms giving ceremony. It was way too early and it made me feel hungry when usually I’m not that hungry in the morning. It was really dark at first but as we walked to the temple the sun started to rise.
The alms giving ceremony is where local Buddhists get up before sunrise to give food to the monks which will serve as their one meal for the day. At the same time the monks share some of what they have received with people who can’t afford food.
My mum had done some research and we were aware it might be touristy but we decided to go anyway. To show respect we knew we had to cover our shoulders and knees, be quiet, arrive early, sit down so we would be lower than the monks and stay at least 3 metres away. However, when we got there lots of tourists weren’t following these rules. Many people were chatting loudly and didn’t cover their knees and shoulders. Also, some arrived late, took a few photos and left and most of the people who did this were standing (insteading of sitting or kneeling) which made them higher than the monks and they were way too close to them as well. I saw people taking photos of one of the women who was there to receive food from the monks but she didn’t look like she wanted her photo taken.
It made me feel angry because they were not showing any respect to the Buddhists and they invaded the space of the people in the ceremony. I feel conflicted because on one hand I like travelling and going on holiday but on the other hand it can have a negative impact on people’s daily lives. If I ever go travelling in the future I want to make sure I look up how to be responsible and considerate of other cultures.