© 2023 Dr Margaret Sheppard
Visitors come & go during night to listen to the Holy chants.
Some of the guests awaiting the start
Some of the pirit men awaiting the lucky time to enter the pirit house & start their chanting of the Holy texts.
At the lucky time the pirit men enter the pirit structure
Once the Pirit men are in position &, the owner lights first oil lamp to formally start the pirit N.B. the Holy Pali texts on the table in front of the first man who will be chanting.
Owner lights the first oil lamp and announces the purpose of the Pirit - to “open” new house/hotel.
Other guests then invited to light the other lamps
Guests lighting the oil lamps around the pirit enclosure
Pirit men inside enclosure start chanting Holy texts
Guests sitting in room outside enclosure invited to touch the pujah tray - this brings merit.
During the night supper is served to the guests
Tea and biscuits are served periodically throughout the night
Pirit men continue chanting taking turns to sleep.
Guests and pirit men sleep near the chanting
In the meantime other helpers are preparing the monks’ lunch to be served the next day
Throughout the pirit some observers are joined to the white thread that is linked from their hands into the pirit enclosure
The next morning at sunrise visitors drink from the pirit water & also have the white pirit thread tied around their wrists
Serving early morning tea to the pirit men who then prepare to leave
Formally thanking the pirit men
As this pirit thread promotes well-being some people take extras for people at their homes who could not attend
The chanting of the Holy Buddhist texts in Pali lasts all night until dawn. Certain men often perform this or sometimes monks from the local Temple.
These Pirit men dress in white clothes for the pirit.
After sunset the guests and pirit men start to arrive at the new venture.
Pirit