The Thailand youth football team headed to seek monk’s blessing and shaved their heads as part of a Buddhist ceremony to proclaim them as novices. It is a gesture to honour those who participated in their rescue mission including former Thai Navy SEAL Lt. Cmdr. Saman Kunan who died during the task on July 6. A video shows 11 of the Thai boys attending the ceremony along with their coach. One of them could not be a part of it because he is a Christian. The soccer team were trapped inside the Tham Luang Cave for more than two weeks leaving the world in tension.

After their dramatic rescue by International diving experts, all the boys including their coach was taken to the hospital. It was last week when all of them were discharged declaring to be in good health to continue with their lifestyle. Before stepping into their regular schedule, the 11 boys visited a Buddhist temple and shoved in order to fulfil the promise made to the families to remember all the officers' effort who strived days and nights to rescue all of them alive. Now, the boys whose age ranges from 11 to 16 years, will live in the temple for nine days, the same length of time they were stuck in the Thai cave before a team of divers found them.

Here is the video of the soccer team shaving their heads and offering prayers in white robes.

Reportedly, the coach of Wild Boars who had already lived as a Buddhist novice for a decade will be ordained as a monk. In Buddhism, males are expected to enter the monkhood often as novices and at a point in their lives to show gratitude to their parents for raising them. The Thai boys will donate their merit to the memory of Saman, which is said to be the highest honour in Buddhism. Many residents too joined in the temple ceremonies to show support for the group.

On July 10, the rescue effort by divers, caving experts, navy seals and volunteers from around the world ended. In an interactive session with the media, the Thailand football team described their tragic experience inside the cave and how they had drank water from the cave walls to survive and even tried to dig themselves out after getting trapped when it was flooded with monsoon rains.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2018 02:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).