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Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Bangkok

For generations, Hindu Gods and Goddesses have occupied a special place in the hearts and minds of many Thai Buddhists as well as foreign visitors, especially from other Asian countries. 

One unique place in Bangkok where you may observe or worship these deities is the Ratchaprasong intersection, where many of the city's upscale shopping and hotel complexes are situated. Last Wednesday was a special day at the extremely popular Brahma shrine in front of the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel. Hundreds of Thais and foreign faithful flocked to the shrine to pay obeisance and pray for fulfilment of their desires. Apart from the Brahma shrine, set up in 1956, there are five other prominent shrines in the vicinity of Ratchaprasong intersection. 

San Phra Phrom or Erawan Shrine was created as a spirit house connected to the Erawan Hotel, which has now made way for the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel. The forces of the typical Thai spirit house didn't seem effective enough during the building of the hotel, so spiritual persons advised that it should be replaced with the four-headed image of Brahma or Phra Phrom in Thai. There have been no further hitches since then, and the shrine has became famous for bringing good fortune. The name Erawan comes from Brahma's thirty-three headed elephant.

Thai-Buddhist tradition associates Brahma with creation. Brahma is believed to have ridden a three-headed elephant named Erawan, hence the connection with the Bangkok hotel, and the use of small elephants at both the Eastern shrine in Bangkok and the Western shrine in Las Vegas. The four faces of the Brahma statue represent the Four Divine States of Mind: Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathy and Equanimity.

At Caesars Palace, the Brahma Shrine stands as a tribute to an ancient culture, and a wish for prosperity and good luck to all who visit the resort.

A  statue of the elephant god Ganesh sits in front of Isetan shopping centre, while the Trimurti, a form of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, adorns the front of Zen department store. 

At the Intercontinental Hotel near Gaysorn Plaza, Narayana, another name for Lord Vishnu, is mounted on his celestial vehicle Garuda, while the plaza itself has the Statue of the Goddess Uma Parvati on its fourth floor. Opposite Gaysorn is the Amarin Plaza, where the rain god Lord Indra stands majestically. 

The property-owners view Hindu Gods and Goddesses as helpful for the prosperity of their businesses. For instance, the owners of the original Erawan Hotel decided to build a prominent shrine to the four-faced Brahma back in 1956 after several workers lost their lives in mysterious construction accidents. Essentially, the shrine was intended to ward off misfortune. Since its consecration, the shrine has become a model for similar ones nationwide.   

Kinnar: Celestial beings in Sanskrit. Thailand.

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Besides property-owners, all these shrines of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are also immensely popular among local and foreign worshippers, especially the Chinese from Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

Chen Siek Hui, an Indonesian-Chinese, said she had returned to Bangkok last week after a trip to Vietnam to offer prayers at the Erawan Brahma shrine and thank the deity for answering her prayer. "I prayed here last year when my business ran into trouble. I believed Brahma would give me the courage and strength to solve the problems. Now my business is running smoothly, so I came back to say thank you, and while I was here I asked for better health for my mother," she said. A relative of Hui, who accompanied her to Bangkok, said there were several Brahma shrines in Indonesia but Hui had great faith in the one at the Erawan Hotel. Besides Indonesian-Chinese, the Erawan Brahma shrine often sees worshippers from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia, including celebrities.

Among these is Taiwanese movie star Nicolas Tse, who said that his prayer had been answered after he visited the shrine.

(source: Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Bangkok -  Refer to Thailand Hinduism).

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Hindu influence in Thai Culture

In the Buddhist Thai kingdom, the Hindus constitute about one-tenth of the population. However, various aspects of Hinduism are deeply entrenched in Thai society. Although it sometimes is difficult to distinguish the Hindu elements in Thai culture, Hinduism has survived in Thailand through the concepts of royalty, festivals, music, architecture, the pantheon of Hindu deities, language, and literature.

The Hindu dharmasastras (religious scriptures), the concept of kingship, and Hindu rituals have become essential features of state formation, and rulers have legitimized their position with the help of brahmans (priests, phrams in Thai). These priests perform various rituals connected with royalty.

In the Rajyabhiseka ceremony (consecration), they invoke the blessings of Hindu deities and present royal regalia to the king, and Thai ceremonies adhere to the tenets of the Satapatha Brahmana and Aitreya Brahmana. 

The steed of the Hindu God Lord Vishnu Garuda is the Royal symbol of Thailand.

The influence of Hinduism is also ingrained in popular Thai culture. Icons of Hindu gods and goddesses have been discovered in ancient excavations, and sculptures of such icons as Parvati, Hanumana, Ganesha, Vishnu, Indra, and Brahma adorn wats (temples) in Thailand. Images of Ganesha, the patron of Thai arts, are sometimes installed in newly constructed buildings. Hindu deities are worshipped along with Buddha and phis (spirits). Even to the present, the Thai congregate at the Erawan (Brahma’s elephant) shrine in Bangkok to invoke Brahma.

The Ramayana tradition is important in Thailand. In the process of adoption, the stories of Ramayana have been transformed into a Thai version known as the Ramakien. Performing arts forms like classical dance, masked plays, theater shows, and shadow plays have continuously used the themes of this classic. The Thai features in these works are so predominant that only the origin of the Ramakien remains as a nonindigenous element. 

The Subanahongsa or Golden hamsa (swan) of Lord Brahma. 

The Subanahongsa, or golden hamsa, passes the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The Subanahongsa refers to the swan-like mythical steed of the Hindu god Brahma, which first appeared in Thai lore during the Ayutthaya period. King Rama I ordered the vessel built soon after his accession to the throne in 1782.

The Subanahongsa, or golden hamsa, passes the Grand Palace in Bangkok during a rehearsal for the upcoming ceremonies to mark Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th anniversary to throne. 

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An admixture of Hindu and Buddhist elements exists in the popular festivals like Loh Chingecha (swing ceremony), Loi Krathong (festival of lights), Baruna Satra (rain festival), and Songkran (astrological New Year). The Brahmans also have a role in such family ceremonies as births, deaths, purifications, and weddings. The similarities of Thai beliefs in the existence of the other world with such Hindu concepts as savan (paradise) and narok (hell) and with the Hindu names for deities (devata), worship (pussa), and God (isuan) point toward the cultural interaction between Thailand and India. Thai society has shown a tremendous capacity to harmonize Hindu elements and yet retain its distinct identity.  

(source: Hinduism - Thailand). (For more refer to chapter on Greater India: Suvarnabhumi and Sacred Angkor).

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The Thai King's Coronation  

The coronation ceremony in Thailand consists of the Rajabhiseka, (Hindu, the Rajasuya), the anointment. The ceremonial bath constitutes an important initiatory ritual. The Thai king uses water of five rivers in the kingdom, the Cau Brahya, the Sak, the Rajapuri, the Bejrapuri and the Paupahkhan. His counterpart in India uses the waters of the Ganga, Mahi, Yamuna, Sarayu and Airavati. 

Water is the most significant in the coronation ceremony of Thailand. The significance of water is fully discussed in the Hindu treatise, Aitareya Brahmana. The king invokes the waters for their blessing: 

“Look upon ye waters with favorable eye! Touch my skin with your happy body. I invoke all the fires which reside in the waters to bestow on me splendor, strength and vigor.” 

The officiating priest, Brahmin continues:

“With these waters which are most happy, which cure everything, increase the royal power, the immortal Prajapati sprinkled Indra, Soma, the King, Varuna, Yama, Manu, with the same sprinkle I thee! “ 

The Thai king then takes his seat on the Octagonal Throne beneath the seven-tiered white umbrella of State. He receives here further anointment. The throne in the Thai ceremony is made of Udumbara wood (figwood) as prescribed in the Hindu ritual:

“The reason that the throne-seat, the ladle, and the branch is of Udumbara tree is because the Udumbara is vigor and a nourishing substance. The priest thus places vigor in the king.” 

The Thai throne is spread with hya ga, the Indian darbha or durva grass. The Thai king, like the ancient Hindu king of India, always sits on the throne facing the east. 

(source: Hinduism in Thai Life - By Santosh N Desai  p. 1 - 40).

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Ganga (Ganges water) jal for Thai King's anniversary celebrations 

Bangkok: Sacred river waters of India will be brought to Thailand next week on April 21 as part of national celebrations to mark the Thai King’s 60th anniversary on the throne in June. 

Water from the Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswati, Saryu and Gomati rivers will be brought by the Thai government’s Religious Affairs department and Hindu organisations in Thailand, said religious affairs department Director-General Preecha Kantiya.   

Monarchs from 28 countries will attend the special event on June 12 and 13 this year marking 60 years of the accession of King Bhumibol Adulyadej who is the world’s longest ruling monarch. A priest from the Thai royal household bureau will travel to India to collect the holy water from Indian priests, the official said.

Sacred Ganga

Watch video - Brahmins in India have become a minority

Watch Scientific verification of Vedic knowledge

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The water will be taken to Devasthan, the Hindu temple in Bangkok from where it will be collected by the Hindu Samaj Association after religious ceremonies. The water will be taken to other Hindu temples in Bangkok where Buddhists also worship.   

“Thai and Indian priests will jointly conduct the rituals," said Preecha. The holy water will finally be presented to the King on May 5 which is the coronation day.  

Although Buddhism is the national religion, Thai culture and religious beliefs carry the imprint of significant elements of Hinduism.

(source: Ganga jal for Thai King's anniversary celebrations - dnaindia.com).

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Pilgrimage to the Holy Waters of India
King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th Anniversary on the accession to the Throne

King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrates his 60th anniversary on the throne in Thailand in the year 2006 by the Gregorian count and 2549 from the life of Buddha count. King Bhumibol is the longest reigning monarch in Thailand and in the world. The significance of the King's reign is probably little understood by people from other countries, but to the people of Thailand, however, this enduring monarch, who will be 79 years of age this December 5th, signifies something bordering on a heavenly occasion reserved for the gods.

Buddhist and Brahma (Phram) ceremonies have been planned for a very long time, and living in Thailand, as I do, its hard not to see the devotion which Thai people give to their King. It is safe to say that King Bhumibol is the most revered monarch in the world. And as far as monarchies go in Southeast Asia the influence of preceding dynasties of Kingship can be traced back to the Khmer Empire which ruled for over 1000 years at Angkor Wat in Cambodia and was finally sacked by Thai armies in 1431AD. The legends of the Khmer empire and their influence on Thai royalty is evident through the strong influence of Hinduism when conducting sacred ceremonies in Thailand. Brahmin priests were influential in guiding the Thai monarchy to what it has become today unlike the monarchy in Cambodia which has little influence over the people. The monarchies of Laos and Burma (Mynamar) have been completely removed. 

At the grand palace in Bangkok there is a scale model of the Angkor Wat temple which is testimony to the reverence Thais have for their Khmer ancestor Kings.

So today in the early 21st century the influence of Hinduism in Thailand with the accompanying offerings and prayers to Brahma is as important to Thais as Lord Buddha. In fact it is a Royal decree that both Buddha and Brahma have equal spiritual significance when it comes to making prayers and merit making. 

However, the Buddha is more widely recognized as the dominant spiritual teacher whereas Brahma is looked upon as a God.  

To demonstrate how important Brahma is to the Thai people was made starkly obvious when a deranged man destroyed the sacred Erawan shrine housing Lord Brahma in Bangkok. The emotional outpouring from the Thai nation was voiced in all the newspapers. 

The Erawan Shrine is the most sacred shrine in Bangkok that harks back to Vedic times, and the Emerald Buddha in the grand place is the most sacred Buddhist shrine. Interestingly enough the emerald Buddha was taken from Laos. The Thai people take their devotion to heart and the destruction of the Erawan shrine brought a deep spiritual aspect of the Thai people to the surface.

To recognize the royal occasion of the king's longevity as a monarch the president of the council overseeing the affairs of the Hindu temple at Wat Phra Si Maha Uma Devi (Wat Phra Si Maha Mariamman) on Silom Road in Bangkok decided to send a high Brahmin priest to India where water would be collected from the most sacred spots of India's five most sacred rivers and brought back to Bangkok.

The Holy Water would then travel to three Hindu temples before finally being presented to the King on Coronation Day, May 5th, 2006. On April 30th the Holy Water was to be set in Wat Phra Si Maha Uma Devi. 

Having just returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Kuruksetra in Champassak Laos, the site of the 5th century Shiavite temple Vat Phu, I was well acquainted with the influence the Hindu Gods had on the people.

The five rivers in India where the Holy Water was taken from was the Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswati, Saryu, and Gomati rivers. It struck me that even after 2000 years the spiritual powers associated with India are playing a dominant role in what will be the worlds most sanctified ceremony on Coronation Day using Holy Water from India.

Learning that this Holy Water for His Majesty would be housed at a Hindu temple in the heart of Bangkok prompted me to make a pilgrimage from Nakhon Sawan to pay my respects to the Holy Water. 

After experiencing Vat Phu and the sacred mountain of Lingaparvata in Laos, I realized it was more than curiosity that was drawing me to Bangkok. I could sense the spiritual devotion still strong in Southeast Asia coming from India.  

Refer to chapter on ancient Laos - Glimpses XVIII

Where Vat Phu has a sacred spring constantly flowing into a catchment for pilgrims to drink and do personal ablutions, here in Bangkok was going to be water from the holy rivers of India. An opportunity to go see these five rivers in India may not be possible for me in this life time, but I knew I could travel to Bangkok, which I did, to witness the Holy Water ceremonies surrounding the central shrine at Wat Phra Si Maha Uma Devi.

(source: Pilgrimage to the Holy Waters of India - By Willard Van De Bogart). This article was contributed to this site by author. For more refer to A Pilgrimage to Vat Phu

(For more refer to chapter on Greater India: Suvarnabhumi and Sacred Angkor).For a documentary on Hindu temples, refer to The Lost Temples of India. Watch video - Brahmins in India have become a minority

Princess From Ayudhya - Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

Introduction: She's Thai royalty, and a scholar in Indic lore. Also, a keen student of things modern. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand practises her Sanskrit, reads Pali scriptures and traipses around rural India looking at development projects to emulate for her people. And she goes to Tata Motors to check out the Nano. In her spare time, she writes poetry and children's books. She can discuss different versions of the Ramayana prevalent in Southeast Asia , play three instruments and speak four languages.

On a recent trip to India , a country the princess visits often, Maha Chakri spoke of the ancient ties binding Thailand and Southeast Asia to India . "Most scholars in Thailand study Pali, the language of the word of Buddha. My ancestors did it and my grandmother studied Pali and Sanskrit," she said. Dressed simply in a black skirt and jacket with not a hint of make-up, Maha Chakri said learning the Devanagari script was the toughest. Her teacher at university was Satyavrat Shastri, an Indian scholar who had gone to Thailand to teach Sanskrit. He has since returned and on her visits to India , the princess always makes it a point to meet him.

"He would talk a lot about philosophy and literature. When we talked, he would cite Sanskrit verses to illustrate his point. He could remember everything," the princess recalled. Shastri studied the Thai version of the Ramayana and composed it in Sanskrit verse. Many episodes in the Thai version are different-a big demon abducts Ram and takes him to the nether world from which Hanuman rescues him. Ravana is an extremely important character, shown as wise and a victim of a certain unfairness by the gods.

Ravana in his former life had served them but they inflicted pain upon him and he wanted to avenge his honour in the next life. "It is the story of revenge. It is difficult to say who is evil and who is right in battle. It is the same today," Maha Chakri noted. All Thai children grow up with the story of the Ramayana, and some episodes of the Mahabharata also are part of the Thai cultural milieu. Her quiet but significant forays to India help rev up these old bonds that seemed so natural and organic once upon a time. It was in the first century AD that Indian merchant princes from our eastern and southern shores reached what are today Thailand , Indonesia , Laos and Cambodia , carrying textiles and other goods. The locals adopted their culture, building vast temple cities bearing names and statues of Hindu gods. A fascination for Indian culture developed, and people closely followed and absorbed aspects they found interesting. It was a time when India was seen as a more affluent and powerful country, worthy of emulation.

Elements of Hindu culture have survived in Thailand and other countries through festivals, royal religious practices, music and language. Royal Thai priests come to India to learn the rituals, and many Hindu deities can still be seen in Thai temples. The king himself is considered an avatar of Lord Vishnu.

(source: Princess From Ayudhya - By Seema Sirohi on Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Outlook May 5, 2008).

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Updated - October 28, 2008