The Royal Ploughing ceremony, which marks the beginning of the crop planting season in the country, will be celebrated this year on May 15 the Royal Field in Kampong Chhnang Stadium, located in Klaing Prak village, Sangkat Pha-er, Kampong Chhnang city, Kampong Chhnang province.
The annual event will be presided over by His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia. Senior officials from the government and parliament, as well as foreign ambassadors accredited to Cambodia will attend the ceremony, to be followed by a photo exhibition and an agricultural fair.
Generally, the governor of the host province will play the role of “King Meak” by guiding the royal oxen and plowing around the Royal Field, while his spouse will be “Queen Mehua” by walking behind scattering seeds on the furrowed ground.
Usually held in May, the celebration mainly intends to flag up the commencement of rainy season among Cambodian farmers so that they are prepared for their farming, and to pray for bountiful harvest for the year.
According to the tradition, the ceremony is annually celebrated to predict the upcoming distribution of rainfall, thus rice harvesting, in the country through the oxen’s appetite of paddy, corn, bean, grass, sesame, water, and wine.
Last year, this traditional event took place in Chbar Mon city of Kampong Speu province.
