The Wai Kru of Arjahn Thoy
The wai khru ceremony is a Thai ritual in which students pay respects to teachers in order to express their gratitude and formalize the student–teacher relationship. This particular wai khru is for the Arjahn Thoy a master of the sacred art of Sak Yant, the traditional magic tattoo from Thailand. Arjhan is a Thai-language term that translates as "professor" or "teacher". It is derived from the Pali word ācariya and is a term of respect, similar in meaning to the Japanese sensei. The term "ajahn" is customarily used to address forest-tradition monks that pratice the religious art of Sak Yant tattoo. Sak Yant means written mantra, it a tradition imported in Thailand from ancient populations migrated here from India in ancient times. In the journey and in the times the original tradition of Hinduism is contaminated with the animistic and Buddhist one, transforming the oral mantra into written and drawn tattoos that have a magical function according to the type and are belived to bestow mystical powers, protection, or good luck . The drawings are accompanied by texts written in the Pali or Sanskrit language of which the Arjahns pass on the meaning from teacher to disciple. Arjahn Thoy is a well-known and respected master that now pass most of his time in China, where there are many people interested in the thailandese pratice of Sak Yant but once a year he return to Bangkok to meet with all his disciples, the other Arjahn that have learned from him. In this occasion, in Bangkok, I took this photos of the master and all his disciples during the Wai Kru ceremony.
03/17/2019 Bangkok – Arjahn Thoy pose with his disciples come to make him a tribute 
03/17/2019 Bangkok – many people come to the ceremony to get a sacred tattoo from the masters arjahn 
03/17/2019 Bangkok – during the Wai Kru ceremony the master chews kola nuts which, with their high content of methylxanthines, help him to reach a state of trance during which propitiatory rites are practiced 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – Master Thoy with his son beside him, also Arjahn, performs purifying prayers in front of his disciples. 
03/17/2019 Bangkok – Arjahn Thoy dons the traditional robe before beginning to bless the faithful who have come for the occasion 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – The monks of a nearby monastery come to meet with Arjahn Thoy, together they will perform some religious rites. Sak Yant are not accepted by official Buddhism as tattoos are generally not because they contaminate the body but many Thai monks practice this tradition anyway. 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – As also happens at the famous temple – monastery of Wat Bang Phra where thousands of faithful gather to receive the Sak Yant from the monks and during which Wai Kru many go into trance, here a man goes into a trance immediately after receiving the blessing from the Arjahn Thoy. Some attendants are placed around to prevent the faithful in trance from hurting themselves or to the teacher 
03/14/2019 Bangkok – The master’s aides set up the stage for the ceremonies of the following days 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – Many cooked pig heads and other foods are placed on stage as offerings for the gods 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – Sacred representations of gods of various religions are arranged on the stage, from Buddhism, Hinduism to ancient animist religions since the Sak Yant are a syncretic tradition 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – After the prays the Arjahn in trance bless the people of faithful 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – Arjahn Thoy and his disiples pray alone, during this pray nobody else is admitted 
03/17/2019 Bangkok – After the ceremonies end all the arjahn make sak yants to the faithful. it’s believed that sak yant received during the wai kru ceremony have more powerful magic 
03/16/2019 Bangkok – The faithful light scented sticks as an offering to the deities 
03/14/2019 Bangkok – Before the start of the three days of ceremonies the Arjahn Thoy prays to find the bless of the gods