All about Bai Sri.

Thai people use banana leaves to fold and make colourful decorations for festivals.  The leaves are folded in delicate, triangular and intricate patterns before being presented to Lord Buddha at the temple or at various ceremonies and to the spirits that protect people. These religious offerings made from banana leaves and flower and flower petals are called “Bai Sri”.

Banana leaves are considered auspicious in our country too, especially in South India and are mostly used for decoration (along with the trunk) at houses and temples and for serving food during festivities and special occasions and on a daily basis at traditional restaurants, but banana leaf folding art as a form of worship as you can see in the attached pictures has its roots in Thailand and is widespread.

The art of banana leaf folding is handed down from generation to generation.  A number of universities and colleges in Thailand offer courses in banana leaf art, as this art form is of academic interest, to young and old alike.

The Bai Sri is a blessing ceremony performed to bestow happiness and prosperity to a person or place. The ceremony features a beautifully-shaped ornament made of elaborately-folded banana leaves. A container is beautifully decorated with fresh flowers and banana leaves, It is often used during auspicious ceremonies.

And for various occasions, there is different Bai Sri… Bai Sri Luang is the largest type, a tray made with banana leaves on a pedestal. The banana leaves are made in nine tiers representing a gift to the King and Queen, or seven tiers made for a viceroy, five tiers made for the royalty, and three tiers for noblemen and other people. Bai Sri Pak Cham - It is made as a gift to teachers and angels, when setting up a shrine to a household god or spirits, for a newborn child, and on auspicious occasions, and there are many more Bai Sri for different rituals. There are Bai Sri Lak with nine, seven, five or three tiers, Bai Sri Tor or Stem Bai Sri, Bai Sri Su Kwan which has from one up to nine tiers, Bai Sri Dhammachak, Bai Sri Ballang which is the Throne Bai Sri, Bai Sri Nakharatch also called the Naga Bai Sri, Bai Sri Pan Ta or thousand-eye Bai Sri, and Bai Sri Brahma and Bai Sri Deva, which are offered to Brahma and angels. Each type of Bai Sri has a meaning and difference, including the process of construction.  Each item used in the making of Bai Sri has a significance: The banana leaf is most auspicious and sacred for offerings, the cone of rice means fertility, yellow Cassia flower means longevity, Calotropis flowers means long-lasting love, boiled eggs sometimes means intelligence, money means good luck and auspicious thread represent the bonds of friendship.

In brief, all Bai Sri are meant for worship and bringing health, happiness, peace and prosperity to the individuals and their families making these offerings.

You may see the attached pictures of beautiful and different Bai Sri.