BANGKOK (THAILANDIA) – Nella provincia thailandese di Nakhon Pathom, nel tempio buddista di Wat Phra Bang è in corso come ogni anno il festival del tatuaggio sacro.
I tatuaggi qui vengono realizzati da monaci buddisti con degli aghi in acciaio inox che, secondo la tradizione posseggono poteri magici di protezione. I tatuaggi nel paese asiatico sono molto popolari.
La Cerimonia annuale Wai Khru (il festival del tatuaggio) avviene presso questo tempio ed attira migliaia di devoti da tutta la Thailandia. Per attivare questi poteri magici, bisogna realizzare un tatuaggio, o rinnovare quello fatto in precedenza.
La gente, durante la realizzazione va in trance ed assume la personalità del proprio tatuaggio. Così, se una persone si tatua una tigre assume la personalità di una tigre. Quelli che invece si tatuano una scimmia assumono la personalità di una scimmia, e così via. Negli ultimi anni il festival del tatuaggio è diventato popolare anche tra i turisti che vogliono vedere un alto “esotico” della Thailandia.
(Foto Ap/LaPresse)
March 14, 2014 - Nakhon Chai Si, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand - People gather in the parking lot at Wat Bang Phra to watch an acrobatic troupe perform at the opening of the temple's tattoo festival. Wat Bang Phra is the best known ''Sak Yant'' tattoo temple in Thailand. It's located in Nakhon Pathom province, about 40 miles from Bangkok. The tattoos are given with hollow stainless steel needles and are thought to possess magical powers of protection. The tattoos, which are given by Buddhist monks, are popular with soldiers, policeman and gangsters, people who generally live in harm's way. The tattoo must be activated to remain powerful and the annual Wai Khru Ceremony (tattoo festival) at the temple draws thousands of devotees who come to the temple to activate or renew the tattoos. People go into trance like states and then assume the personality of their tattoo, so people with tiger tattoos assume the personality of a tiger, people with monkey tattoos take on the personality of a monkey and so on. In recent years the tattoo festival has become popular with tourists who make the trip to Nakorn Pathom province to see a side of ''exotic'' Thailand. LaPresseOnly Italy
March 14, 2014 - Nakhon Chai Si, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand - A woman gets a sak yant tattoo at Wat Bang Phra. Wat Bang Phra is the best known ''Sak Yant'' tattoo temple in Thailand. It's located in Nakhon Pathom province, about 40 miles from Bangkok. The tattoos are given with hollow stainless steel needles and are thought to possess magical powers of protection. The tattoos, which are given by Buddhist monks, are popular with soldiers, policeman and gangsters, people who generally live in harm's way. The tattoo must be activated to remain powerful and the annual Wai Khru Ceremony (tattoo festival) at the temple draws thousands of devotees who come to the temple to activate or renew the tattoos. People go into trance like states and then assume the personality of their tattoo, so people with tiger tattoos assume the personality of a tiger, people with monkey tattoos take on the personality of a monkey and so on. In recent years the tattoo festival has become popular with tourists who make the trip to Nakorn Pathom province to see a side of ''exotic'' Thailand. LaPresseOnly Italy
March 15, 2014 - Nakhon Chai Si, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand - A woman prays at the beginning of the Wat Bang Phra tattoo festival. Wat Bang Phra is the best known ''Sak Yant'' tattoo temple in Thailand. It's located in Nakhon Pathom province, about 40 miles from Bangkok. The tattoos are given with hollow stainless steel needles and are thought to possess magical powers of protection. The tattoos, which are given by Buddhist monks, are popular with soldiers, policeman and gangsters, people who generally live in harm's way. The tattoo must be activated to remain powerful and the annual Wai Khru Ceremony (tattoo festival) at the temple draws thousands of devotees who come to the temple to activate or renew the tattoos. People go into trance like states and then assume the personality of their tattoo, so people with tiger tattoos assume the personality of a tiger, people with monkey tattoos take on the personality of a monkey and so on. In recent years the tattoo festival has become popular with tourists who make the trip to Nakorn Pathom province to see a side of ''exotic'' Thailand. LaPresseOnly Italy
March 15, 2014 - Nakhon Chai Si, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand - Men freshen up after sleeping outside during the tattoo festival at Wat Bang Phra. Wat Bang Phra is the best known ''Sak Yant'' tattoo temple in Thailand. It's located in Nakhon Pathom province, about 40 miles from Bangkok. The tattoos are given with hollow stainless steel needles and are thought to possess magical powers of protection. The tattoos, which are given by Buddhist monks, are popular with soldiers, policeman and gangsters, people who generally live in harm's way. The tattoo must be activated to remain powerful and the annual Wai Khru Ceremony (tattoo festival) at the temple draws thousands of devotees who come to the temple to activate or renew the tattoos. People go into trance like states and then assume the personality of their tattoo, so people with tiger tattoos assume the personality of a tiger, people with monkey tattoos take on the personality of a monkey and so on. In recent years the tattoo festival has become popular with tourists who make the trip to Nakorn Pathom province to see a side of ''exotic'' Thailand. LaPresseOnly Italy
March 15, 2014 - Nakhon Chai Si, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand - A man collapses after going into a trance during a tattooing session at Wat Bang Phra. Wat Bang Phra is the best known ''Sak Yant'' tattoo temple in Thailand. It's located in Nakhon Pathom province, about 40 miles from Bangkok. The tattoos are given with hollow stainless steel needles and are thought to possess magical powers of protection. The tattoos, which are given by Buddhist monks, are popular with soldiers, policeman and gangsters, people who generally live in harm's way. The tattoo must be activated to remain powerful and the annual Wai Khru Ceremony (tattoo festival) at the temple draws thousands of devotees who come to the temple to activate or renew the tattoos. People go into trance like states and then assume the personality of their tattoo, so people with tiger tattoos assume the personality of a tiger, people with monkey tattoos take on the personality of a monkey and so on. In recent years the tattoo festival has become popular with tourists who make the trip to Nakorn Pathom province to see a side of ''exotic'' Thailand. LaPresseOnly Italy
March 14, 2014 - Nakhon Chai Si, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand - A Buddhist monk gives a man a sak tant tattoo at Wat Bang Phra. Wat Bang Phra is the best known ''Sak Yant'' tattoo temple in Thailand. It's located in Nakhon Pathom province, about 40 miles from Bangkok. The tattoos are given with hollow stainless steel needles and are thought to possess magical powers of protection. The tattoos, which are given by Buddhist monks, are popular with soldiers, policeman and gangsters, people who generally live in harm's way. The tattoo must be activated to remain powerful and the annual Wai Khru Ceremony (tattoo festival) at the temple draws thousands of devotees who come to the temple to activate or renew the tattoos. People go into trance like states and then assume the personality of their tattoo, so people with tiger tattoos assume the personality of a tiger, people with monkey tattoos take on the personality of a monkey and so on. In recent years the tattoo festival has become popular with tourists who make the trip to Nakorn Pathom province to see a side of ''exotic'' Thailand. LaPresseOnly Italy
