Chrismate: Royal Cremation in Bangkok

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Royal Cremation in Bangkok

A lavish show of splendor to a beloved monarch

On 13 October 2016, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand passed away at the age of 88 after a

The Phra Meru Mas

long reign of 70 years. Known as the 'Father of the Nation', he succeeded in being widely loved in the country. In all fairness, he did a lot during his life-time for the people of his country. His body has been embalmed for one year to allow people to pay their respect to their beloved king. Literally, millions of Thais came on a daily basis to see their sovereign. Crown as King Rama IX, his royal title bore an auspicious nº 9, a highly symbolic number in Thailand as well as the rest of the East.

L'importance du chiffre 9 en Thaïlande (French)

The King died on a Thursday and his funeral was also held on Thursday, October 26. The date was probably chosen as an appropriate time for the royal cremation according to the Buddhist beliefs. The King had the status of a half-god. The military junta exploited the event during a year-long National mourning to strengthen their grip and the role of the monarchy.

The Royal Crematorium as a symbolic representation of Mount Meru

The Royal cremation: a showcase of Siamese tradition.

A reminder of the royal irrigation

The open, public field in front of the Grand Palace known as Sanam Luang [สนามหลวง , royal turf] became the site of the royal pyre, where the country's best craftsmen displayed their skills in the construction of a lavish Thai monument dedicated to the glory of a beloved monarch. It took one full year for the monument to be completed.

Le Petit Journal (French)

Everything was planned according to beliefs and tradition. It may have been a sad situation, but the occasion was also meant to be a joyful moment. According to the religion, it was a time when King Rama IX would ascend to paradise.

The golden crematorium was built in a square shape (a representation of the Earth) and had 4 levels up to the the royal crematorium [Phra Meru Mas] 50 meters high. It represented symbolically Mount Meru, the center of the Universe,

Symbolic royal details

from where the dead ascend to heaven. It was surrounded by 8 lower towers representing the mountains around Mount Meru but at the same time it is a tribute to Rama 9 in the center.

There are about 500 animals represented as an illustration of the Hindu or Buddhist mythology. Besides the majestic proportions of the monument, the artists have carved an array of symbolic figures all around. They are:

-The Himavanta Forest Creatures: Garuda, the bird; Tinna Singha, the lion; the Naga, the giant snake; Kotchapaksa, the elephant-headed bird; Bundu Ratchasi, a sort of striped lion; Hemmarat, a swan-headed lion; Subanhera, a cross between a garuda [suban] and a crocodile [hera]; Ngaisai, a cross-breed between a tiger and a horse.

-The Four Great Gods: Indra, the presiding god of heaven and earth; Brahma, the four-faced god of creation; Narayana, the protector of heaven, earth and hell; Shiva, the destructor of evil.

Mythological animal

-The Four Guardian Deities symbolizing the four directions: Lord Dhatarattha (the East), Lord Virulhaka (the South), Lord Virupakkha (the West), Lord Vessavana (the North).

These 3 main groups stress the importance of number 4 in the making of the monument. It is also interesting to note that 3 x 4 gives another magic number: 12, which can also be decomposed in 1 + 2: 3 (the three groups above).

It is interesting to see how much detail and symbolism were put into the ceremony at a time when the symbolic value of things seem to have vanished. We could also add that during the final procession, there were 1,000 soldiers dressed in a colorful traditional manner and that they turned 3 times counterclockwise around the crematorium. Usually, during Buddhist ceremonies, the circumnavigation is done three times in a clockwise procession. Going the opposite direction is unusual and can be interpreted as a way to go back to the beginning of time.

A once-in-a-lifetime event.

This unique moment reveals two things. First, the impact King Rama IX had on his people. There

Deva holding a sunshade

might never been another opportunity to witness such a grandiose ceremony. Secondly, it shows Thailand affection to tradition and most importantly that there still exists here a deep knowledge of the heritage and a propensity to carry it on.
→Des funérailles grandioses (Le Petit Journal) - French.
The ceremonial cost has been estimated to 76M of euros or 90M of US dollars. This is a very high price to pay. The country rulers will argue that the nation had no limit to show the respect they ought to show to their beloved king. On the other hand, elevating a monarch to the rank of a half-god may still work in a country like Thailand but it is not certain it is perceived as such anywhere else or even in some spheres of the Thai society. Now that a page has been turned, every one seems to agree that the country has stepped into a new era with lots of question marks.

Nevertheless, the royal cremation was a showcase of grandeur and artistry seldom seen in our modern societies. This royal tribute revealed the persistence of an old Siamese culture and this is exactly what the military junta wanted to show in their role of 'the guardians of the monarchy'.

Christian Sorand