Also called Pchum Ben, this Buddhist festival is a time for Cambodians to pay respect to their deceased relatives.
As during the Kathin celebrations at Thai temples, Buddhist laypeople offer food to the temple's monks; these offerings are understood to benefit the lost loved ones as well. Much of the food was carried to the temple in multi-tiered tiffins, each tier with a different, presumably home-cooked, dish. Inevitably there's ample additional food for the entire congregation, and the occasional day-tripper.
Shown: a variety of Cambodian dishes I won't attempt to identify, the inside and the sheltered, outdoor assembly area of the temple's new Federal Hall. and the neighboring, original Wat Glory.
Prachum Benda festival
Glory Buddhist Temple
24 Cambridge St. (Chelmsford-Hale Sts.), Lowell, Massachusetts
(From a September 2011 visit)
