(14
June) 100-bud banana tree at Pu Seu (Grandfather Tiger) Shrine in Maharaj district of
Ayutthaya province has drawn crowds of pilgrims who believe the banana tree is sign of good
luck.
The tree is 2.5 meter tall surrounded by over 100 small buddings, 4 of which started to
grow as trees. The worshipers light their incense and pray to the tree – 16 incense sticks for each
person. Some took pictures of the buddings with their camera or mobile phone, whereas determined
lotto number hunters lay on the ground and try to discern the number from the buds.
Mr.
Nattapon Ob-orm, 55, the overseer of the shrine, said that the buds started appearing around a month
ago. Locals then visited the site, saying that they had never seen such ?miracle? before, so they
believed it would bring good luck.
Mr. Nattapon said 16 incense sticks are required to pray
to the tree because locals believe it resembles the great banana trees that grow in the mythical
city of Lub Lae. He said he had to warn the worshipers not to touch the tree lest the tree becomes
bruised. As for the lotto hunters, Mr. Nattapon warned that they should not take it too seriously
because they might end up losing a lot of money.
Ms. Ubol Tiamsuk, 58, a local in the area,
told our correspondent she′s a regular worshiper at the shrine so she joined the crowd in praying to
the banana tree as well. She claimed she had won many lottery rounds because of the tree.
Last time I won 80,000, so I donated parts of it to the shrine staff for extension project.
Today the banana tree suggests to me that I should play the lotto with number 633 and 12, she
said.
As for Ms. Pom (she didn?t give her surname) who came all the way from Ang Thong
province, she said she′s also a regular pilgrim to the shrine because the supernatural entities that
reside in the site give her good fortune. She said she′s certain she would win the lottery on the
next draw (16 June) as well, but declined to say which numbers she has seen from the
tree.
