The Kathina festival at Amaravati will be held this year on Sunday, 10th November 2024, and we warmly invite you to join us in person to celebrate this event.
Like last year, this will be a Royal Kathina, with the Royal Kathina Robe being graciously offered by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of Thailand, and we are also glad to welcome representatives of other embassies and communities.
This year’s event is kindly sponsored by Somjit Chomdee and friends, and the Triratana group. Kathina is a tradition that has been followed for over 2500 years. It takes place during the month following the end of the Vassa, the three months’ rains retreat. At Kathina, lay followers make a special offering of a Kathina cloth and, in addition, other requisites to the Sangha.
Outline of the Day
Morning event
- 09:45 Paritta Chanting in the Temple
- 10:30 Pindapata – offering of almsfood to the Sangha. Cooked rice to offer will be provided.
Afternoon event
- 13:15 Start of the Kathina ceremony
- Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem and the Five Precepts, by the lay community
- Paritta chanting by the Sangha
- The offering of the Royal Kathina robe, cloth and other requisites to the Sangha
- Dhamma talk by Ajahn Amaro (recorded and posted on YouTube afterwards)
Offering Dana (Kathina List)
The Monastery is able to receive offerings on Kathina day. Our online Kathina list displays items that the community would find helpful, and will allow you to ‘book’ your offering. Please go through this booking process so as to help us avoid having several people offering the same items. This will also help us to identify donors and formally acknowledge your offerings later on. As you go through the booking process, further guidance will be given on the various ways you can make offerings.
Offerings brought before Kathina day may be left on the desk outside the main office (please mark them “For Kathina”.)
Offerings brought on Kathina day may be taken directly to the platform in the Temple, or handed over to our team of volunteers upon arrival.
Donating
If you would like to make a donation by cheque, please make it payable to: “The English Sangha Trust Ltd” and send it to:
Kathina 2024
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
Great Gaddesden
Hemel Hempstead
Herts, HP1 3BZ, UK
If you would like to make a donation by bank transfer, please send an email to [email protected]
If you are a UK taxpayer, you might also consider adding 25% to the value of your donation by completing an Amaravati Gift Aid form.
If you would like to consider making a regular donation, the Standing Order form can be downloaded at Amaravati Standing Order Form.
For making donations online, using a credit/debit card or PayPal, please go to amaravati.org/donations
You can now also make donations electronically at the monastery using a debit/credit card on one of the on-site donation tablets.
Information about income and spending in 2023-24, plans for 2024-25 and an updated Financial Statement from the EST, is available from the EST leaflet.
Donations this year will go towards the fund for the new sala, workshop and service yard, which are all nearing completion. It is hoped that the new sala will be available as an eating area for visitors on Kathina day. If it isn’t, we will, as in previous years, have marquees set up on-site, where the public can eat and follow the broadcast of the afternoon’s proceedings (the Temple usually fills up quickly for the main ceremony.)
Update 06/11: As explained in our recent post, the sala will not be available as an eating area, but viewings have been organised.
Volunteering
For information about volunteering to help with the many things that will need to be done before the day, and on the day itself, please contact Sharron Chan at [email protected]
We hope you are able to join us for this Kathina and that it will be a joyful day for us all.
With Metta, in the Dhamma,
Somjit Chomdee & friends and and the Triratana Group
Sponsors of the Royal Kathina celebration 2024