CROWDS ON RIVER BANK: FLOATING PALACE: PRINCE SIHANOUK: GUARD OF HONOUR: BOATS PADDLED PAST: SIHANOUK AND PRINCESS MONIQUE SEATED: BOAT RACE IN PROGRESS: SIHANOUK AND PEOPLE WAVING.




Initials GL/VS/MR/BB



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Background: PRINCE SIHANOUK OF CAMBODIA, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE, SAT IN A FLOATING PALACE ON THE RIVER TONLE-SAP ON SUNDAY (23 NOV.) TO WATCH THE BOAT RACES WHICH ARE THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRADITIONAL BUDDHIST WATER FESTIVAL.

THE ORIGINS OF THE FESTIVAL, WHICH COINCIDES WITH THE FULL MOON IN THE LUNAR MONTH OF KATTIK, ARE LOST IN THE PAST, BUT IT IS HELD TO BE AN OCCASION WHEN THE FAITHFUL PAY HOMAGE TO THE INVISIBLE POWERS WHICH MAKE THE SEASONS SUCCEED ONE ANOTHER, THE MONSOON WINDS BLOW AND THE RAINS FALL ON THE CROPS.

FOR THE CROWDS WHICH FLOCK TO THE RIVERSIDE IN THE CAPITAL, PHNOM PENH, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE THREE-DAY FESTIVAL ARE THE BOAT RACES EACH AFTERNOON BETWEEN LARGE CANOES (PIROGUES). THIS YEAR 196 PIROGUES WERE DUE TO TAKE PART IN THE RACES, 142 OF THEM PADDLE-CRAFT WITH OVER 50 IN EACH CREW, 54 OF THEM WITH SMALLER CREWS USING OARS. SOME OF THE CREWS INCLUDED WOMEN. INCLUDING THE RESERVES, OVER 10,000 OARSMEN AND PADDLERS WERE DUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENTS.