The Elephant Procession
The Phi Mai festivities start the day before the last day of the closing year with a procession of elephants through the town known as Hae Xang Hieng Koei (ແຫ່ຊ້າງຮຽງເກີຍ), "The procession of the elephants bowing before the Koei". The procession starts at the southern end of the town and makes its way northwards along Sisavangvong Road. The elephants are dressed in ceremonial garb, although these days this may also involve advertising for the elephant resorts that now own the elephants. The mahouts riding on the elephants' neck dress in the traditional red and yellow outfits of the royal guards.
As the procession reaches Vat Mai the elephants make their first stop, turning left into the street along the northern wall of the monastery. Here the Phaya Xang, the Chief of the Elephants, dressed in white awaits at the red painted wooden lak koei, which no doubt most tourists mistake for a broken sign during the rest of the year. The official offers the elephants tasty treats of bananas and sugar cane and whispers into their ear sacred verses reminding the elephants that they are the protectors of Luang Prabang and that they must expel bad spirits from the town.
At Vat Xieng Thong a Baci ceremony is held to honour the elephant protectors of the town
After a short time at this stop the mahouts turn their reluctant elephants away from the food and back to the main street where the procession proceeds at a stately pace northwards to Vat Xieng Thong. Here they turn into the narrow alley leading to the public entrance of the monastery and once again come to a halt in front of red painted lak koei in front of the monastery wall. Two officials seated on a platform just within the monastery wall behind the lak koei now lead a baci ceremony for these pachyderm guardians of the town. Sacred string is tied around their ears and more delicious offerings are given whilst sacred blessings are read out.
This baci now concludes the role of the elephants in the modern Pi Mai festival. But in former times the elephants played a much more extensive role. Henri Deydier described the procession in 1952 with seven royal elephants starting from Ban Na Luang going in turn to Vat Mai, Vat Xieng Thong and finally to Vat Visoun. On the other hand Sayasith Phounpadith describes the processions to these three vat happening on three separate consecutive days in 1974. Either way the modern ceremony notably excludes Vat Visoun. Since ancient times this procession to the three most important spiritual sites in the town was an important ritual in reminding the elephants of their role in protecting the kingdom and in renewing their allegiance to the king, the Lord of Life.
This baci now concludes the role of the elephants in the modern Pi Mai festival. But in former times the elephants played a much more extensive role. Henri Deydier described the procession in 1952 with seven royal elephants starting from Ban Na Luang going in turn to Vat Mai, Vat Xieng Thong and finally to Vat Visoun. On the other hand Sayasith Phounpadith describes the processions to these three vat happening on three separate consecutive days in 1974. Either way the modern ceremony notably excludes Vat Visoun. Since ancient times this procession to the three most important spiritual sites in the town was an important ritual in reminding the elephants of their role in protecting the kingdom and in renewing their allegiance to the king, the Lord of Life.