Cambodian people throughout the country are going to celebrate Chol Vossa (enter rainy season) or Rainy Retreat, one of annual religious festivals, this weekend. This year, the festival will fall on July 21 and last until Oct. 17, in the pagodas across Cambodia. During this three-month-long festival, the monks do not leave their pagodas to collect alms as usual. They must remain within the temple compound. Anyway, they can accept the invitation of devotees and travel out at day time, but they cannot stay out of the pagoda overnight. Generally, Buddhist followers offer Tean Vossa (Vossa candle), a large candle that has to be lighted the whole days and nights during the festival, as well as oil, robes and other food supplies to the monks. Tean Vossa is considered as the light for life, in which the dark part of life would be lightened, guiding a way out toward nirvana. The end of the Rainy Retreat or Chegn Vossa Festival will be also celebrated. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse
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