Royal Ploughing Ceremony

Preah Reach Pithi Chrot Preah Neangkol is held on a ceremonial field in front of the National Museum in Phnom Penh. Members of the royal family plough a few furrows. Court Brahmins then offer the royal oxen dishes such as rice, corn, beans, grass, water, and wine, and interpret which foods are eaten as an omen for rain and harvest. The rite is agricultural and royal, not a pagoda holy day. The Gregorian date moves with the traditional calendar, often falling in May. This page is for the meaning and the next few civil dates; the longer guide explains the oxen’s forecast in more detail. Always confirm the year’s public-holiday circular, because the ceremony is listed in some years and adjusted in others.