Along with Khmer New Year in April, Phchum Ben is the most significant festival in the Cambodia which has been celebrated in every October. The festival lasts for 15 days, but only the final day is the biggest celebration and is the public holiday. Cambodians have faithfully observed the festival each year for as long as anyone can remember.
Regardless how busy they may be the Phchum Ben days, Cambodians try to go to the pagoda to dedicate food and offerings to the dead. The festival's final day is the actual Phchum Ben when people visit the pagoda to show respect for their ancestors.
Cambodian people feel sorry for and remember their relatives who have passed away. They may be their grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, daughters or sons. During Phchum Ben spirits come to receive offerings from their relatives. It is believed that some of the dead were punished for their sins and burnt in hell and tortured there. Those souls and spirits have no food to eat and no clothes to wear. Relatives dedicate food and other offerings to them.
Everyone does not wish the spirits of dead members of their family to come back to seek offerings at pagodas in vain. Wondering spirits will head to look in 7 pagodas and if those spirits cannot find their relatives' offerings in these pagodas, they will curse them because they cannot eat food given by other people. When the relatives make an offering to the spirits, they will be blessed with happiness.
