Phosop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phosopโพสพ |
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| Goddess of rice | |
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Image of Phosop the goddess of rice at Siam Society, Bangkok
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| Affiliation | Ponmagyi, Po Nagar, Dewi Sri, Tutelary deities |
| Abode | Paddy field |
| Symbol | Mature rice sheaves |
| Mount | clown featherback |
| Consort | Phra Mahachai Phraisop |
Phosop (Thai: โพสพ) or Phaisop (Thai: ไพสพ) is the special goddess of rice for the Thai people. She is more a part of old Thai folklore than a goddess from a main religion. People also call her Mae Khwan Khao (Thai: แม่ขวัญข้าว), which means "Mother of Rice Prosperity."
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Who is Phosop?
Farmers make special offerings to the Rice Goddess at different times when they grow rice. Villagers believe that Phosop helps make sure everyone has enough food to eat.
In modern Thailand, fewer farmers were honoring Phosop. But in August 2008, Queen Sirikit helped bring back this old custom.
These traditional celebrations about rice and farming are very important. They help farmers hope for good harvests. Every year, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony happens in Thailand. After the ceremony, people rush to collect seeds from the fields. They believe this will bring them good luck.
How Phosop is Shown
Phosop is often shown as a beautiful woman. She wears lots of jewelry and a red or green dress. She is usually sitting or standing. She holds a harvested bundle of rice over her right shoulder or resting on her arm. The way she looks now is based on the devi (goddesses) from Hinduism. But her story started locally a long time ago.
Sometimes, during rice harvest festivals, a young woman in a village might dress up as Phosop.
Rice Goddesses in Southeast Asia
Many countries in Southeast Asia have their own rice goddesses. They are often similar to Phosop.
Indonesia's Dewi Sri
In Indonesia, there is a similar rice goddess called Dewi Sri. She is also known as Nyi Pohaci. She is the goddess of rice, farming, and good harvests for the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese. You can often find small shrines for Dewi Sri in rice fields there.
Cambodia's Po Nagar
The Cham people in Cambodia and Vietnam have their own rice goddess. She is called Po Ino Nogar, Po Yan Ino Nogar Taha, or Po Nagar. She has similar powers and rituals as the Thai and Lao rice goddesses. She is also linked to Lady Po Nagar, a traditional Cham deity.
Laos' Nang Khosop
In Laos, the rice goddess is called Nang Khosop. She is also a big part of local village culture. There are different old stories about how rice came to be in Laos.
One story says that after a very long time of hunger, a young man caught a golden fish. The king of the fishes asked the man to free the fish. In return, he offered a treasure. This treasure was Nang Khosop, who was the spirit of rice. As long as she lived in the fields, rice fed people for many years.
But then, a bad king caused hunger again. He kept all the rice for himself to get gold and fancy things. During this hard time, an old couple met a wise hermit in the forest. The hermit asked Nang Khosop to feed them. But the rice goddess was angry and said no. So, the hermit, worried about the future, divided Nang Khosop. Her pieces became the different kinds of rice we have today. These include black rice, white rice, hard rice (khâo chao), and glutinous rice. The old couple then taught people how to grow this new rice.
Another story from the Vientiane area says that the Phi Na, a special spirit that protects rice fields, came from parts of Nang Khosop.
Phosop as a Modern Symbol
Phosop is used in the logo for the Rice Department (กรมการข้าว) in Thailand. This department is part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Worship in Bangkok
About 100 years ago, Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, had many rice fields. Today, there are almost no rice fields left in Bangkok. Only a few areas in the eastern suburbs, like Min Buri, Nong Chok, and Lat Krabang, still have some.
Because of this, there are only a few shrines built to honor Phosop. One is at Wat Siri Wattanaram temple in Taling Chan's Bang Phrom. Here, Phosop is worshipped with other goddesses, Nang Kwak and Phra Mae Thorani, all in the same shrine. People believe the idol of Phosop here was once made of gold. But in the 1970s, it was stolen. The original idol has never been found.
Another shrine is near Lat Phrao 1 and Lat Phrao Square. This area also used to be a rice field. Phosop is honored in a joss house there.
Phosop in Pop Culture
Phosop was even a main character in a Thai TV show! It was a fantasy and romantic-comedy drama called A Mission from the Goddess of Rice (ปาฏิหารย์รักแม่โพสพ). This show was on Channel 3 in 2021.
