The first time I came to Chiang Mai in 2010, I didn’t even know what Yi Peng was. Each year, usually in November, many thousands of lanterns are launched into the air around northern Thailand as part of a long-standing Buddhist tradition. The biggest of these releases happens near the university at Mae Jo, a small town outside Chiang Mai. Of course, having no idea this was happening, I had booked my onward flight to coincide with the start of the festival.
Last year Yi Peng was early in the month. I couldn’t quite finish up in Australia in time to make it for the lantern release, missing it by a matter of days.
This time, no matter what it took, I was going to be there to experience the event for myself.
I’m happy to say that it easily exceeded my expectations. It was simply magical, and one of the most incredible things I have ever been a part of.
After arriving early to beat the crowds, our group found a likely-looking spot and settled in. The better prepared (ie, not us) bought picnic blankets, plenty of snacks, even books and crossword puzzles to stay entertained until the ceremony began a few hours later. We had a packet of potato chips, a bottle of water and a million ants to keep us company. Hmm.
Still, there was plenty of food from the vendors just outside the grounds so starvation was unlikely. As night started to fall, the first few lanterns started to drift up above the tree line.
The rhythmic chanting and movement of the monks on stage during the two hour ceremony was mesmerising, broken up only by the occasional crackle of fireworks or loud mobile phone conversation. Suddenly, with an announcement over the loudspeakers and a blaze of coloured smoke, the moment had arrived.
We lit the nearby candle and waited for our cue.
With a rustle of paper and a buzz of excitement, lanterns were unfurled everywhere. The khom loi are large and unwieldy, and needed at least two people to manhandle into position above the candles. Carefully arranging the paper so that the fuel cell at the bottom caught fire without sending the rest of the lantern up in an inferno took a bit of effort.
Still, somehow, everyone in our party managed it without even a minor burn.
Success!
Although many people seemed to have developed selective deafness and let their lanterns go early, most of the crowd still managed to release in sync, sending their wishes flaming into the night sky.
With huge smiles and silent prayers, Lauren and I let our lantern drift upwards to join the thousands of others floating far above our heads.
Soon the darkness was filled with one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I had jealously looked at photos of the event for the last two years, but being there was a hundred times better than any picture. The shared excitement and happiness was indescribable, the flickering glow of ten thousand flying lanterns reflected on the upturned faces of the earthbound crowd below.
Stretching in a vast line above the university, the lanterns seemed to cluster together as they climbed. I’ve heard them compared to jellyfish in the past, winking, wriggling spots of light in the darkness.
While I can see the similarities, for me there is nothing else that comes close to those first few minutes. People are regularly moved to tears by the experience, and it’s not hard to see why.
If you stand there looking up at lanterns for long enough, mind you, they start to look a bit like this…
Our good friend Shawna snapped this last picture of us, a few seconds before we sent our lantern skywards. I think the expressions on our faces says it all.
We spent several hours being bitten by ants in the heat, got caught in a sudden thunderstorm as we left the grounds and took two hours to get home due to the rain and traffic jams … and would do it all again tomorrow in a heartbeat.
The Mae Jo lantern release was one of the most beautiful things that I have ever had the privilege of being a part of. Being able to share it with so many good friends turned an amazing day into a perfect one.
It was, quite simply, magic.