Thailand, Chinarai, Elephant Coronation
08/04/05 Filed in: Travel
A very fast driver and Thailand's great highways has
made it a quick 5 hour car ride north from Bangkok to
Sukhothai (meaning, rising happiness). But we bypass
the old city ruins in Sukhothai, once capital of the
ancient arm of Kymer civilization. Instead, we drive
another 60 kilometers to the small town of Chinarai,
an otherwise unremarkable little town, except today.
Today there is the once a year special elephant
coronation festival, held here for the past several
hundred years. Today is the day when the young boys
of the village, who are becoming monks, will have
their heads shaved, get anointed and dressed in
colorful robes and crowns, and then ride to the
temple on elephants.
This is their last day for some time to be out in the world and this town really makes a big deal of it. Really big, many marching bands on each of the four sides of the courtyard, dancing Apsaras (beautiful nymphs) and the entire population dressed in traditional clothes, singing and dancing together as the boys come into the temple courtyard on their elephants. The party goes on for a hours outside as the boys are ushered into the little temple and the head monk chants the rites, initiating them into the order.
Being one of only a handful of foreigners present, I was invited to go where I wanted, to see everything. Starting with visiting a private home where one boy was being prepared, to seeing the elephants being painted and prepped, to being invited inside the temple by the head monk to witness the occasion.
This was one of the more unusual and colorful celebrations I've attended, and everyone there was obviously in high spirits. The boys, for their part, did look appropriately serious throughout the day, though most of the time it was difficult to tell, behind their dark sunglasses. Perhaps this celebration is to challenge them, so they know what they'll be giving up as monks. After this day they must give up the multi colored robes (they'll get only orange), the dancing girls and the world of change. From here it's the quiet simple life of the monk and focus on the spirit within. From their new inner view, it could also seem refreshingly peaceful, a chance to unfold something beyond the reach of change. But once every year, as a reminder of what's going on outside, they'll get a glimpse, as the next group of new monks enters the monastery walls riding on the back of elephants.
Please check out all the photos on my SE Asia Portfolio page available at NavaSwan.com
This is their last day for some time to be out in the world and this town really makes a big deal of it. Really big, many marching bands on each of the four sides of the courtyard, dancing Apsaras (beautiful nymphs) and the entire population dressed in traditional clothes, singing and dancing together as the boys come into the temple courtyard on their elephants. The party goes on for a hours outside as the boys are ushered into the little temple and the head monk chants the rites, initiating them into the order.
Being one of only a handful of foreigners present, I was invited to go where I wanted, to see everything. Starting with visiting a private home where one boy was being prepared, to seeing the elephants being painted and prepped, to being invited inside the temple by the head monk to witness the occasion.
This was one of the more unusual and colorful celebrations I've attended, and everyone there was obviously in high spirits. The boys, for their part, did look appropriately serious throughout the day, though most of the time it was difficult to tell, behind their dark sunglasses. Perhaps this celebration is to challenge them, so they know what they'll be giving up as monks. After this day they must give up the multi colored robes (they'll get only orange), the dancing girls and the world of change. From here it's the quiet simple life of the monk and focus on the spirit within. From their new inner view, it could also seem refreshingly peaceful, a chance to unfold something beyond the reach of change. But once every year, as a reminder of what's going on outside, they'll get a glimpse, as the next group of new monks enters the monastery walls riding on the back of elephants.
Please check out all the photos on my SE Asia Portfolio page available at NavaSwan.com