Laos Pres Perfroms Puja

[Guest guest]

LAOS ERECTS STATUE OF KING FA NGOUM MAHARAJ

Vientiane, Jan 6 (VNA)Vietnam News Agency -- The shrouds of white

cloth covering the statue of King Fa Ngoum Maharaj were removed on

Sunday at 4:45 pm by President Khamtay Siphandone at a grand ceremony

amid a crowd of thousands of people in Vientiane.

Before unveiling the statue, President Khamtay Siphandone

performed a "puja" and paid homage to the most revered Buddha image

Phra Bang, which had journeyed from its traditional home, Luang

Prabang, for the ceremony.

He then performed an ablutions rite, before pressing the button to

unveil the statue. President Khamtay then gave nine strokes to a gong

to declare the statue to the people.

At 4 am the same day, a consecration was held for the statue of

the founder of the Kingdom of Lane Xang. The ceremony was taken part

in by some 200 people who were in white to make the statue sacred and

enable it to protect the nation and the young Lao generations as King

Fa Nguom did 650 years ago when he united the ancient Lao kingdom.

When dawn broke, there was a Tak Baat ceremony of alms giving to

57 monks at the Three-Headed Elephant park, which was later in the

day declared the King Fa Ngoum Park.

A large throng of local residents flocked to the streets where the

re-enactment procession of King Fa Ngoum passed by. The procession

from Lane Xang Hotel passing down Fa Ngoum Road along the Mekong

River up to Pakpassak and Luang Prabang Road.

The highlight of the celebration was on the consecration of a life-

sized statue of King Fa Ngoum The Great, who fought for the

unification of the ancient kingdom of Lao people in the 14th century.

The eve of the celebration of the 650th founding anniversary of

the Kingdom of Lane Xang - the Land of A Million Elephants, started

on January 1 at the Three-Headed Elephant Park in Houameuang.

The statue of the King Fa Ngoum was inaugurated into the 21st

century with five days of celebrations,2 while the celebration of the

unification of the Kingdom of Lane Xang 650 years ago took seven days

and nights.--The ceremony takes place 27 years after the overthrow of

King Sri Savangvatthana by the Vietnamese-backed Pathet Lao

communists in 1975.

 

Below From UK Press(Note the complete lack of Sanskrit names and

terms in the UK article.)

 

Monday January 6, 2003 7:10 AM

 

 

VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) - Almost 28 years after the Communist Party

overthrew the monarchy, the government of Laos unveiled a statue of a

14th-century king in an unusual recognition of achievements by the

country's past rulers.

 

The government also announced plans to honor 12 more kings.

 

With pomp and pageantry, scores of Laotians dressed in period

costumes and riding elephants arrived Sunday at a new public park in

the capital Vientiane, where white drapes were removed from a 14-foot

bronze statue of King Fangum.

 

Fangum is believed to have established the Kingdom of Lan Xang

(Million Elephants) in 1353, the forerunner of the modern Lao state

that was abolished during the communist revolution of 1975.

 

It is not clear what has prompted the change of heart in the

communist regime. But according to the state media, honoring Fangum

and other kings is seen as a way to boost national unity and

patriotism, and reinforces traditional Buddhist values.

 

Earlier Sunday, monks led a final blessing ceremony of the park area,

which already includes a statue known as the Three-Headed Elephant,

the symbol of the Lan Xang monarchy.

 

After further rituals in temples across Vientiane, a theatrical

parade including senior politicians, monks, sportsmen, actors and

celebrities, with accompanying musicians, elephants and horses,

walked up Fa Ngum Road, alongside the Mekong River, to the new park.

 

The Lao media has eagerly followed the casting of the statue, and the

government has declared Jan. 5 a national holiday in honor of ``the

father of Lao unity'' and the 650th anniversary of the founding of

Lan Xang.

 

State television announced Sunday that the government plans to build

statues of 12 more kings. It gave no other details.

 

The ceremony takes place 27 years after the overthrow of King Sri

Savangvatthana by the Vietnamese-backed Pathet Lao communists in

1975.