There are various traditions with regard to Thai weddings, as there are in the majority of countries. The two most predominant religions are Islam (in a couple of provinces near to Malaysia) and Buddhism in the overwhelming majority of Thailand.

However, despite the fact that the vast majority of Thais are Buddhist, there are regional differences in the process of getting wed. I live in northern Thailand in Uttaradit, around 25 km from the first Thai capital of Sri Satchenalai, which implies that the ceremonies from this area are the oldest in Thailand.

The process of getting wed in Thailand begins with a young man and a young woman. That seems obvious, but Thais do not usually undergo arranged marriages. Traditionally, if the couple move in together, they are betrothed, but this tradition is breaking down.

If the young couple are sure that they want to get wed, then they ask their parents to arrange the details. The first thing to arrange is the dowry. In Europe, the dowry was traditionally paid by the bride’s parents, however in Thailand, it is given by the groom’s.

Until 1932, it was quite common for men to have mistresses known as ‘Little Wives’. The practice is officially frowned upon, but it still goes on. After all, there is no social security and if a woman is left by her husband, voluntarily or because of an early death, she has to find a method of taking care of herself and her children.

This is the origin of the reason why the groom pays the dowry. If the man fails to take care of his ‘First Wife’, she is able to leave him and she has her dowry to sell so that she and the children are not destitute. It gives her a breathing space to find a job or a new husband.

Most women choose a dowry of pure gold. Thai women prefer less, but purer gold than the average European. Thai gold is usually 98%-100% pure and is normally 24 carat.

So, the parents of the loving couple meet and they discuss ‘a cost’ - we prefer the term dowry. The dowry comes in two parts: gold and cash. As in English we have a pound sterling and a pound avoir-du-pois, Thais have a Baht as their currency and a Baht as a weight (of gold).

One Baht of gold is 15.2 grammes. Internationally, a Troy ounce of gold is 31.10 grammes. So, one Baht of gold is just less than half-an-ounce. The Thai Baht in currency varies as do all currencies, but is now , fairly stable at 30 Baht = $1.

A standard dowry may be two Baht in gold and 50,000 Baht in cash. The two Baht in gold goes to the bride as an advanced divorce payment and the 50,000 Baht goes to the mother-in-law. She can do what she likes with this money.

She would normally spend most of it on the wedding party and the remainder, she would normally give to the newly-weds. Honeymoons are not normal in the rural north, but as the economy is growing, young people do increasingly like to take a honeymoon.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on numerous topics, but is now involved with Khao Phansa - The Candle Festival. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Package Holidays to Thailand.

Tags: Asia, buddhism, dating, Destinations, enlightenment, festivals, marriage, other, relationships, thailand, Travel, trips, unclassified, vacation

The day before a Western wedding is the ‘Stag Night’ and the ‘Hen Night’. In northern Thailand it is not really the same. As soon as the groom-to-be can get off work, the full-on party starts. It is more sedate with the bride-to-be who will spend more time with her parents.

The son will often just spend most of his time with his mates, mostly sleeping ‘under the table’, if you know what I mean. The day before the wedding is reserved for spending with parents for both parties.

The day before the eve of the wedding is also a special day as the parents of both parties set up their parties with the help of friends and family. This is an all-day concern and people drink, sing and even dance as they are making the preparations.

On the eve of the wedding, people, especially women, will meet at the dwellings of the bride and groom in order to cook. If the wedding is a big one, this could begin at 4-5 AM, but it normally begins at 8 AM.

Guests are welcome at any time after this, but non-cooks or non-helpers will normally stay away until at least 9 AM. The laggards may not arrive there until midday.

The whole day is a party of cooking, eating, dancing and drinking, normally to the accompaniment of live music or a disk jockey. It is not at all strange to have skimpily-clad dancing girls putting on a show as well.

The music will get loud enough to be heard a block or two away and no-one would dare complain about the noise from such a joyous event. However, not everybody is invited to most weddings as they are usually held in the garden.

Bigger weddings might be held in the Temple. I have never been to a village in Thailand that does not have its own Temple. Some small villages of only 500 residents have two Temples. A Temple used to hold numerous monks, but these days 9-12 is normal.

It is quite cheap to hold a wedding or a wedding party in a Temple, but most families do not because Temples are ‘open ground’ and you may get more ‘guests’ than you catered for. Gate-crashing is not unheard of.

As the evening develops, people will be expected to sing a song and there will be dancing. This will go on until around midnight, which makes it a long day and the wedding day for real begins at around 7 AM the next day.

The parents of the groom are expected to help prepare the food at the bride’s home the next morning. This means meeting all the best friends of the bride’s parents and is a good manner of bonding. it normally results in both families and all their closest friends becoming quite close for many years to come.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is now involved with Khao Phansa - The Candle Festival. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Package Holidays to Thailand.

Tags: Asia, buddhism, dating, Destinations, enlightenment, festivals, marriage, other, relationships, thailand, Travel, trips, unclassified, vacation

Known as the roof of the world, Tibet holds one and all in awe. The autonomous region of Tibet shares its borders with India, Nepal and Bhutan and is the cradle of some of the greatest rivers like the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), Yangtze, Mekong River, Salween River and many more. There are over 1500 lakes in Tibet including the heavenly lake Namtso and the revered Hindu lake called the Mansarovar. Tibet is a land of Buddhist monks and monasteries, high rise mountains that cross the 8,000m range, frozen lakes, gurgling rivers and deep gorges, inhospitable terrain and warm people. Due to the recent opening of the railway track connecting Lhasa to mainland China, it is easier to access Tibet. From the Potala Palace in Lhasa to a cup of tea made from Yak milk on the Bayan Khala mountain pass, Tibet is a land of extremes. Some of the prettiest pictures in Tibet include the Yam Drok Lake and the nomads of Drido county.

Why Volunteer In Tibet

There are different opportunities for volunteering in Tibet and most of them are focused on the education aspect. Teaching is considered important volunteer work and English is a language through which the Tibetans want to reach out to the world.

Types Of Projects Available

As a part of volunteering in Tibet, you will get to choose the kind of project you are interested in. The different types if projects available include:

* Humanitarian work: Volunteering in Tibet has many facets and one of the most important is humanitarian work. Teaching English to children in rural schools of Tibet is one of the most popular volunteering in Tibet projects. One of the regions where volunteers are required for teaching English includes the Jyekundo area also known as Yushu in Chinese. This is one of the most remote regions of Tibet and hence the literacy rate is not high. Although the Tibetan culture is intact here but educating the children is also as important. Volunteering in Tibet will present you with the opportunity to help the Tibetans in improving their lives and that of their children while through higher education.

* Orphanages: There are quite a few orphanages in Tibet and volunteering in Tibet will present you with the opportunity to associate yourself with some of these orphanages. You will get to take care of the orphaned children and also educate them so that at a later age they can be independent and will be able to make a living on their own. Poverty is one of the main reasons why people leave their children on the streets or in orphanages. One of the main reasons of poverty is the fact that Tibet is like a forgotten world. Being inaccessible for a greater period of time in a year makes it a far away land. In spite of being landlocked, it is cut off from the rest of the world and that is the irony of Tibet. Volunteering in Tibet will bring you closer to these orphaned children and you will be able to instill a ray of hope in the intricate ways of Tibetan lives.

* Culture Programs: Volunteering in Tibet will include spending time understanding their culture and traditions. Tibetans are Buddhist and their culture and traditions have similarity with the Indian and Chinese cultures. You will get to travel across the beautiful and scenic Tibetan landscape and visit some of the remote villages of the world. This way you will be able to understand the life of the common village man in Tibet and at the same time educate them to make their life more meaningful.

Volunteer Requirements

Age: The minimum age for volunteering in Tibet should be 18 or older.

Fee and Other details

There is a fee attached to each of the projects that you volunteer for. The fee is charged in advance and is charged for the following:

1. Accommodation
2. Emergency evacuation services
3. Food/meals
4. Travel insurance
5. Transportation within the region
6. Emergency support
7. All types of training material
8. Supervision by local staff
9. Orientation on arrival
10. Local sightseeing & recreational activities

Conclusion

Tibet has always fascinated the human mind more because of its inaccessibility and awe inspiring landscape. Volunteering in Tibet will help you to join hands with the Tibetans to find a better way of life that is independent of poverty and that will help them to survive in such inhospitable terrains. What you will be rewarded with is an unmatched experience that will captivate you and hold you spellbound.

Seomul Evans is a SEO consultant for Dallas Based Internet Marketing Services company and copywriter for Global Crossroad, a leading Volunteer in Tibet placement service.

Tags: Asia, China, Destinations, environment, social, society, spiritual, tibet, tourism, Travel, Volunteer, volunteering

Bihar is a northern state of India. The state of Bihar lies south of Nepal and with West Bengal in the west and Uttar Pradesh in the east. It is the Hindi heartland of India. It is here that Buddha gave his first sermons and obtained enlightenment.

The capital of Bihar is Patna. The city of Patna lies on the junction of 3 major rivers of which one is the river Ganges. Lord Buddha once said that this city Patna, then called Patliputra will face 3 major issues.

They were to be fire, political turmoil and flood. Indeed the state of Bihar but also the city is under constant threat from fire, flood from the major rivers and it’s a political hotbed.

The province of Bihar was titled as Magadha in its old times. Its very first crucial emperor was called by the name of Ashoka the Great. The spread of Buddhism in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Far East is attributable to this distinguished emperor.

It is said that he directed his numerous sons to several regions of the Earth as missionaries. The empire of Ashoka fans out from the east of India to the Persian Empire. It is said that he fell short of occupying the Persian Empire merely because the ruler had a matrimonial alliance to the king of Persia.

Anyone interested in ancient history and the Buddhist religion, a trip to Bihar should be worthwhile. The old city of Bodh Gaya of Bihar has the most important grounds of the Buddhist religion.

Here grows the Bodhi tree, where Buddha attained enlightenment. Most Buddhism countries and sects of the world have set of temples in the holy town of Bodh Gaya. The city of Bodh Gaya can be reached by either flying or taking a train to Patna and then taking the road or train to Bodh Gaya. A trip to the town of Godh Gaya is revelation.

Tags: b, bihar, buddhism, Destinations, i, india, n, places, religion, T, Travel, travel & leisure