Omens good for food, water in coming year

This Brahmanical ceremony, conducted from 8.19am to 8.59am, had the sacred oxen plough a furrow in the ceremonial ground. Four consecrated ladies, carrying gold and silver baskets filled with rice seeds, scattered the seeds into the newly ploughed furrow, while Brahmins walking alongside chanted and blew on conch shells.
The sacred oxen were presented with offerings and chose to eat grass, which the Brahmin said indicated an abundance of food and sufficient water.
Supachai Baanthubthong, deputy permanent secretary of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, who served as Lord of the Plough, was offered three pieces of folded cloth of different lengths. He selected one with six palm spans – equivalent to 183 centimetres. Based on his selection, it was predicted there would be less water this coming year. The yield would be plentiful in low-lying farming areas but some damage would occur in highland rice fields.
A large crowd observed the ceremony, after which they were allowed to collect the rice seeds, regarded as an auspicious item to bring good luck and abundance.
As every year, hundreds rushed in to collect the seeds, while some even took sand, grass, flowers and shrubs used to decorate the site.
Those who collected the rice seeds said they would keep most of them at home and worship them since they believed the auspicious seeds would bring them luck and wealth. The rest of the seeds would be scattered in their paddy fields.
In Uttaradit’s Muang and Phichai districts, farmers also ploughed their own paddy fields yesterday, considered an auspicious day, to prepare soil for plantingrice.
Ayutthaya’s governor and farmers in the province made merit, while monks chanted and sprinkled holy water on rice seeds before scattering them on fields and distributed the rest to farmers in every district of the province.