Pchum Ben, also known as Ancestors' Day, is a significant festival observed in Cambodia every year, typically occurring in September or October according to the Gregorian calendar. This fifteen-day-long celebration is one of the country's most important holidays, culminating in a public holiday during its final three days. The festival begins on the first day of the tenth month in the Khmer calendar and coincides with the end of the traditional Buddhist retreat, Vassa. During Pchum Ben, Cambodians pay respects to their deceased relatives, believing that this is the time when the gates of hell open, allowing the spirits of the dead, known as pretas or "hungry ghosts," to roam. To appease these spirits, people offer food, either directly in rural areas by scattering rice or in temples by providing food to Buddhist monks, which is believed to benefit the deceased indirectly. Most participants wear white clothing while visiting temples as part of their observance.