Classical Thai Dances

Khon, Lakhon and Fawn Thai are three distinct types of classical Thai dance forms which are extremely popular with the Thai audiences. While each of them has a style of its own, the common string attaching all these dance forms is that they are a mixture of dance, play and dramatizations.

Khon, is a unique dance style wear the performers wear elaborate costumes, masks and often use swords an shield as props. Khon characters are usually demons, monkeys and celestial beings depicting instances from Ramakein, the Thai version of the Indian epic, Ramayana. The uniqueness lies in their emoting strong messages without a single dialogue.

Lakhon has dance movements more subtle than Khon. The performers do not wear masks and the stories are taken from mythological Jataka tales (stories of life of lord Buddha). Usually female dancers carry out the Lakhon, emoting gracefully.

The Fawn Thai is a folk dance form of Thai culture and the main feature here is not the story but folk music which is greatly inspired by Burmese songs and dance.

There are five distinct kinds of Fawn dances. They are:

1. Fawn Leb (Fingernails Dance from Chiang Mai)
2. Fawn Ngiew (Scarf Dance from Chiang Rai)
3. Fawn Marn Gumm Ber (Butterfly Dance)
4. Fawn Marn Mong Kol (Happy Dance)
5. Fawn Tian (Candle Dance)

All these types of dances are performed throughout the year for those interested in exploring Thai culture. There are other types of Thai dances as well adhering to religious beliefs and regional influences. Keep watching this space for more on Thai dances and where in Thailand can you see them.

Meditation in Thailand

If work load, stress and peer pressure has been taking a toll on you lately, its time you indulge in some soul searching. Thailand is a land of Buddhist meditation, with more and more people flocking from different parts of the world to find answers to the most difficult questions of existence.

Buddhist meditation is of two types: the Vipassana or the insight, stressing more on mindfulness and Samatha or calmness and concentration. Both of them are inter related and train one’s mind to attain eternal peace. As a part of Vipassana sessions, an opening ceremony ensues where the student offers incense sticks, flowers and candles as a mark of respect to the masters. Thanking the teacher at the closing ceremony is equally important too.

Mantra meditation is yet another form of Thai meditation. In this, one has to chant “Buddh” while inhaling and “Dho” while exhaling. The sole purpose of this is to increase concentration of the mind thereby enhancing the person’s focusing abilities. Kasinas is yet another technique where the meditator is asked to concentrate at an external object

Before you enroll yourself for a long mediation session, try out the 1 or 2 day classes to understand what kind of meditation will suit your needs. Buy yourself white pair of clothes beforehand. Food and accomodations are usually provided free at the monasteries.