Royal barque procession Thailand

The escort barge Sukrip Khrong Mueang

The royal barque procession in Thailand ( Thai : กระบวน พยุหยาตรา ชลมารค ) is a ceremony with both religious and social significance and has been taking place for more than 700 years.

Royal barque processions only take place on significant cultural and religious occasions. Since 1946, during the reign of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), the procession has only taken place 15 times, for example on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Chakri dynasty (1982), the 60th birthday of the ruler (1987) and on his 60th jubilee in 2006.

The royal barque procession consists of 52 barges manned by 2,082 rowers. The procession leads from the Tha Wasukri landing stage in the Dusit district of Bangkok, past Wat Phra Kaeo , the Great Royal Palace and Wat Pho , to finally end at Wat Arun .

history

Barque procession on January 14, 1886 in front of the Royal Ratchaworadit Pier

The royal barque procession has probably been going on since the 14th century and began in Ayutthaya . In the 18th century, European travelers report extraordinarily extensive processions in which more than 200 boats took part. During the procession, music was played with drum accompaniment to give the rowers a rhythm. This traditional music was composed by Prince Thammathibet (Thai: เจ้าฟ้า ธรรม ธิ เบ ศร ) in the late Ayutthaya period .

In 1767, the Burmese destroyed hundreds of the boats after taking Ayutthaya. General Taksin assembled Thai troops, drove out the Burmese and established a new capital in Thonburi . During his fifteen-year reign he had a fleet of 115 boats restored, which brought the holy Buddha image on the Mae Nam Chao Phraya ( Chao Phraya River ) from the destroyed Ayutthaya to the new capital.

General Chakri succeeded King Taksin, founded the Chakri dynasty and ordered the capital to move to Bangkok across the street . As King Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I), he introduced the royal Kathin ceremony , during which Kathin robes are shown and given to Buddhist monks. This is used to earn merit ( tam bun ) for royalty.

Soon after his accession to the throne in 1782, King Phra Phutthayotfa ordered the manufacture of the Subanahongsa (Thai: เรือ พระที่นั่ง สุพรรณ หงส์ - pronounced: [ rɯa pʰrá tʰî nâng sùppʰán-ná-hŏng ]), which had been in operation as the main royal bark for more than 100 years. King Vajiravudh (Rama VI.) Had a successor boat built with the same name.

The two standard formations of the procession that can be seen today, the "large" and the "small", go back to the regulations that the Prince of Nakhon Sawan worked out during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).

The royal barge procession took place only occasionally at the time and was initially abolished after the Siamese Revolution abolished absolute monarchy in 1932. It was not until 1957 that King Bhumibol Adulyadej resumed the tradition, on the occasion of the year 2500 according to the Buddhist calendar . In 1959 the Kathin ceremony was also revived.

The boats are now in the Royal Boat Museum Bangkok on Khlong Bangkok Noi in Bangkok Noi .

and display information about the image

The royal barge Anantanagaraj

Modern

During the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 15 royal barque processions have taken place so far, of which 8 are larger and 7 are smaller.

Tha Wasukri, landing stage, starting point of the procession

Great barque processions

May 14, 1957: for the 2500 year celebrations of the Buddhist era
April 5th, 1982: for the 200th anniversary of the capital Bangkok
October 20, 1982: Royal Kathin procession to Wat Arun
October 16, 1987: royal Kathin procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the 60th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej
November 7, 1996: Royal Kathin procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the throne
November 4, 1999: Royal Kathin procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the 72nd birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (the so-called 6th cycle of 12 years)
October 20, 2003: Royal barge procession on the occasion of the APEC Summit in Bangkok
June 12, 2006: royal barque procession with 52 barges on the occasion of the diamond jubilee (60 years)
5th November 2007: royal Kathin procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the 80th birthday of the king (5th December 2007)

Wat Arun, the end of the procession

Smaller barge processions

November 15, 1959: Royal barque procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the Kathin ceremony
November 2nd, 1961: Royal barque procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the Kathin ceremony
October 22, 1962: Royal barque procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the Kathin ceremony
November 15, 1964: Royal barque procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the Kathin ceremony
October 19, 1965: Royal barque procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the Kathin ceremony
October 27, 1967: Royal barque procession to Wat Arun on the occasion of the Kathin ceremony
April 12, 1982: Barque procession on the occasion of the transport of a Buddha image

Processional order

Processional rules for the royal barque procession

The royal barque procession is carried out in one of two formations, the large and the small.

The large, also known as the Great Battle Formation, dates back to the time of King Narai (1629–1688) of Ayutthaya. This formation is set up for the more important occasions, such as the royal Kathin ceremony, the shipping of Buddha images and major state occasions. It consists of five rows with the royal barge in the center and two rows of war barges on each side.

In the small formation there are three rows with the royal barge in the middle.

The great barque procession

The large barque procession is arranged in five rows. Involved

a pair of command barges with high-ranking officials
a pair of historic Siamese attack boats with bow cannons with army personnel
two pairs of flat outgoing boats
four pairs of inside-going barges with a decorated masthead in the shape of Garuda , a monkey and ogres
One outside and one inside boat with drums and six musicians playing Javanese pipes and Indian drums
One outside and one inside boat for the Royal Police
the Ekachai barque with a covered throne for the monk's robes, the Buddha image or flower arrangements with royal insignia
the Ekachai Hörn Hao boat and the Ekachai Lao Thong boat with musicians leading the royal boat
the royal barge with a covered throne and state insignia
the pavilion barge for the king's change of clothes
a second royal barge
a pair of police cars
two pairs of army boats
a couple of flat boats at the end

The small barque procession

a pair of guide barges
a pair of attack boats
seven pairs of flat boats
four pairs of boats with mast tops in the form of animal figures
a boat with drums each going left and right
One police boat each on the left and right
the Ekachai barque with a covered throne for the monk's robes, the Buddha image or flower arrangements with royal insignia
the Ekachai Hörn Hao boat and the Ekachai Lao Thong boat with musicians leading the royal boat
the royal barge with a covered throne and state insignia
a second royal barge
a pair of police cars

Boats

Bow of the Suphannahong barge

Royal boats

Subanahongsa (Thai: เรือ พระที่นั่ง สุพรรณ หงส์ - pronounced: [ ruea pʰrá tʰî nâng sùppʰán-ná-hŏng ]): built in 1911 under King Vajiravudh (Rama VI.) With the bow in the shape of the mythical swan Hongsa, carved from a single piece of teak with a length of 46 meters; Launched on November 13, 1911, since 1992 part of the World Maritime Heritage of the World Ship Trust .

Anantanagarat (Thai: เรือ พระที่นั่ง อนันตนาค ราช ): the original barque was built during the reign of King Nang Klao (Rama III) and under his successor King Mongkut (Rama IV) the main royal barge. Today's Anantanagarat dates from the time of King Vajiravudh and was launched on April 14, 1914. The bow is designed as a seven-headed Nagarat , the mythical snake.

Anekchatphuchongse (Thai: เรือ พระที่นั่ง อเนก ชาติ ภุช ง ค ): the oldest of the four royal barges from the time of Chulalongkorn (Rama V.) with many smaller Naga ornaments on the bow.

Narai Song Suban Rama IX: the only barque from the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX); it was laid down in 1994 and built under the supervision of the Royal Navy and the Department of Art History; the boat was launched on May 6, 1996, the 50th anniversary of the king's throne, and is now the official state boat.