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Tosarot is Dasarath, Lord Ram’s father. Sita is also revered in Thailand as Sida สีดา . There are Thai variations on a lot of other names from the Ramayana.
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Streets in different parts of Thailand also bear the name Rama, named after the deity. Thailand’s former capital Ayutthaya has its name derived from Ayodhya, the birthplace of Ram in India, close to the Nepal border.
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Ancient theatrical practices are based on the epic Ramkien รามเกียรติ์, which is based on the Ramayana. The influence of Hinduism can also be seen on Thai art and literature. The temple, one of the biggest Hindu temples in Thailand, also carries evidence of Buddhist and animist influences, like many other historical monuments in Thailand do. Numerous relics on temple walls, such as at Prasat Hin Phima in Korat, describe the episode of Krishna hunting wild boars. Ganesh becomes a deity of significance, also because elephants are viewed as the national animal and mascot. It is not uncommon to see offerings being placed before the shrines of Ganesh, in the form of miniature elephants, garlands of fresh flowers, bananas or other fruits. He is the deity Thai Buddhists often pray to before they start an important venture - just as Hindus in Nepal and India do at Ganesh temples.īuddhist relics in western Nepal, Sewa Bhattarai Ganesh is known as Phra Phikanet in Thai and is worshipped as the remover of obstacles. Statues of Ganesh, Indra ( Phra In), and Shiva ( Phra Isuan) can be found across Thailand. People in deep anguish are known to go to this shrine, and when a wish has been granted, devotees hire dancers to perform Ram Kae Bon, to thank the god. One of them is the Brahma ( Phra Phrom) at the famous Erawan Shrine in Bangkok. And as is often the case with external influences, the elements have been absorbed and overlaid with Buddhist rituals seamlessly, giving them Thai characteristics.Īlongside their Buddhist beliefs, many Thais worship Hindu deities. Waves of invasions, and especially the Khmer rule, left the residue of Hinduism in the Thai culture. It is from Java that Hinduism also spread to Cambodia, and what is now Vietnam and northwards to Thailand – absorbing local cultural elements along the way. Hinduism arrived in Thailand partly along the land route from India via Burma, but also traversed the Bay of Bengal to Indonesia and was instrumental in the establishment of the maritime Sri Vijaya Empire. Even as the group is a minority, various Hindu elements remain deeply embedded in the traditional culture and social life of the Thai people. Those who consider themselves of the Hindu faith constitute just 0.03% percent of Thais (22,100 people) according to the 2015 census.ĭespite the very small number of Hindus here, elements of Hinduism permeate Thailand’s socio-cultural life.
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Thailand is the largest Buddhist country in the world, with 95% of its 69 million population following the religion. The script of the scriptures, Sewa Bhattarai There are also shrines for Laxmi, Trimurti and Ganesh side-by-side with the Buddhist wat. Bangkok’s many shrines are dedicated to Hindu gods, like Wat Khaek, Wat Witsanu for Vishnu the protector, the Erawan Shrine for Brahma, the creator. The Thai Ramayana รามเกียรติ์ (Ramakien) is derived from the Hindu epic. There are many reminders of Thailand’s Hindu antecedents in place names and religious terms. Some historians have linked the monarchy to southern India’s Chola Dynasty, which during its heydays in the 11 th century had spread to southeast Asia. Thailand’s current King Vajiralongkorn is also known as Rama X, and the Chakri Dynasty’s coronations are still conducted by Hindu Brahmin priests. The architectural grammar and ornate structures hark back to the temples of the subcontinent, hinting at cultural influences that can be traced to the past millennium. The name of the airport itself, सुवर्णभूमि, means ‘The Golden Land’ in Sanskrit.Īcross Thailand, the many wat abound with images of Hindu deities even within Buddhist shrines. This is the Thai name of Ravana, the King of Lanka in the Ramayana. In another section of the terminal building is an ornate figure of Thotsakan almost touching the glass ceiling. Visitors from Nepal and India at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport are surprised to see a 15m long depiction of Hindu gods and demons churning the ocean to squeeze out the अमृत Elixir.