Vegetarian - Kin Jay

This year, vegetarian or Kin Jay period is during October 10-20. It is an annual event during the first nine days of the ninth Chinese lunar month. It is a time of penance and purifying of body and mind, and to attain this goal, followers abstain from eating meat, animal products and strong smelling vegetables such as onion, celery, garlic, and certain spices. I have eaten Jay during the period for long, long time ago because my mom’s family found a Rowng Jay at Sampran, Nakornprathom. Long ago, it hardly finds Jay food sold anywhere, but now it turns popular, you can get it easily with yellow flags beside their food stalls.

My Rowng Jay’s activities start one day before the first day of the event by inviting God to stay at the Rowng Jay. All of the rites and activities perform by Tao monks whom invited from Chinese temple in Bangkok. I am not sure how many times monks bless in a day, I think at least 3 times, morning, before lunch, evening. But some day, such as day 3, 6, 8, 9 may be 4 times including night time. On day 8 night, there is loi-kra-thong which every registered follower will have a crinum leaf kra-thong; the floating of a kra-thong is intended to float away ill fortune as well as to express apologies to Khongkha or Ganga, the River Goddess. On day 9, there are more activities, vagrant ghost oblation and ting-kra-jard, in the afternoon, and late at night, a few followers go with a floating house and incense until it was flame in order to repatriate the God. Breakfast of the next morning is the last Jay meal.

I found it a little difficult since no one around me joins me this activity. I know they try to accommodate me as much as possible. I have not been to Rowng Jay for a couple years since I do not like lots of people, and it is now quite far from my house. Anyway, some of Rowng Jay's food is delicious, you can bring back home as much as you can, I like tao-jeaw-lon, and curry; my mom always brings me some of them when she goes there. Many restaurants sell jay food but I am not sure they know how to cook it properly, they must separate kitchenware and ingredients. There are also plenty of Jay foods sold in supermarket, I always look into the label what they are made from to make sure that I can eat it with no doubt. God, please forgive me if I have unintentionally done or eaten anything wrong.
In addition, I am so sorry that I can not enjoy P.Ou and Pum+’s birthday cake this year.