Buddhist devotees in Bangkok's Wat Takien temple engaged in a unique and symbolic resurrection ritual on Saturday as they welcomed the New Year. The worshippers, after communal prayers, willingly entered coffins adorned with flowers, participating in a tradition where they pay a small fee to undergo a symbolic death.

According to local beliefs, lying inside the coffins serves as a cleansing ritual, washing away sins and ushering in good fortune. The participants, hands pressed together in the wai position, hold flowers and sticks of incense between their fingers. Remaining motionless, the devotees simulate the posture of bodies awaiting cremation, while Buddhist monks chant prayers over them.

Despite the unconventional nature of the ritual, the underlying idea resonates with the broader concept of the New Year as a symbolic rebirth—a fresh beginning after the metaphorical death of the previous year. In this ceremony at Wat Takien, followers physically enact the process of death and rebirth, reinforcing the belief in a chance for new triumphs and successes in the year ahead.

Wat Takien conducts the ritual annually, offering it for free while accepting donations from participants. Similar ceremonies are not uncommon in Buddhism, with variations found in Thailand, China, Japan, and Tibet. In Thai-Chinese communities, for instance, belongings are thrown into a symbolic grave as part of a ceremony believed to prolong life.

Beyond seeking good fortune, the coffin ritual at Wat Takien aims to inspire a life of prudence and discretion, reminding participants of the inevitability of death. The ceremony, conducted twice a day, serves as a unique cultural and spiritual practice that resonates with devotees seeking a meaningful start to the New Year.