The Plowing Ceremony – Abundant Crops Predicted for this Year
Participants perform a ritual with oxen during the annual royal ploughing ceremony in Takeo on May 22, 2019 (AFP)
- Thmey Thmey
- May 22, 2019 6:48 AM
Royal oxen ate plentiful rice, bean and corn
PHNOM PENH--His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni Wednesday presided over the Royal Ploughing Ceremony during which the royal oxen ate large quantities of rice, bean and corn: a promising omen that foretold of plentiful crops in the coming months.
Held each year, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony marks the start of the rainy season and involves a traditional ritual during which are foretold weather conditions, farming and crop outcome as well as possible agriculture disease issues to be expect in the country.
This year’s ceremony was held in Cambodia’s southern province of Takeo and, on behalf of King Sihamoni, Takeo Governor Ouch Phea plowed the rice field three times with his spouse assigned to sow the seeds on behalf of the Queen.
Following the symbolic plowing, the two oxen were offered seven types of food and drinks: water, beans, corn, rice, grass, wine and sesame.
The royal oxen ate 85 percent of the rice and beans, and 90 percent of the corn, which the Royal Palace Brahmins interpreted as presaging that these will be good crops this year.
