The Begging Bowl

On any foggy morning in Chiang Mai, the creeping scent of spices and sugar from street vendor stalls mingles with the approach of orange clad monks, chanting while they carry their alms pots. The vessel – called a ‘begging bowl’ – is an important part of Thai culture hailing back to Buddhist traditions of making merit and the community spirit it inspires is fascinating to witness. It is this ethos that we hope to embody in our own corner of South London. To us, The Begging Bowl enshrines a sense of community, and of sharing, both with Peckham and the Thai friends and family which inspired our foundations.