Bangkok: BRAHMA IMAGE BACK IN ERAWAN SHRINE

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BRAHMA IMAGE BACK IN ERAWAN SHRINE

 

Faithful celebrate return of statue

 

ANJIRA ASSAVANONDA

Thousands of faithful yesterday flocked to the famous Erawan Shrine to

celebrate the return of the revered Brahma statue, undeterrred by heavy

rain. They scrambled for a first glimpse of the statue since it was

recast after being smashed by a mentally ill man two months ago. The

rain which fell throughout the installation ceremony could not deter

the crowd. Many became soaked, while the lucky ones took shelter under

umbrellas to witness the ceremony.

 

 

It began when the image of the Hindu creator god, restored by the Fine

Arts Department, was given scented water and placed on a decorated

vehicle before leaving the Handicrafts Division on Buddhamonthon road

at 7.59 am.

 

 

The procession made three stopovers at the City Pillar Shrine, the

Emerald Buddha Temple and the Brahmin temple near the Giant Swing,

where worshipping and lustral water pouring ceremonies were performed.

Crowds waited at the three stops and along the route to pay respect to

the statue. Many offered jasmine and marigold garlands to the god _

yellow flowers are thought to be his favourite _ while waiting to grab

flower petals and popped rice that were sprinkled by a group of Brahmin

priests on the procession. Worshippers, many dressed in white to

symbolise purity for the sacred rite, tried to touch the statue with

banknotes and belongings such as wallets and handbags, in the hope of

receiving the god's blessings.

 

 

The statue arrived at the Erawan Shrine at 11am for the installation

and worshipping ceremony, attended by caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin

Shinawatra.

 

 

Four Brahmin priests carried the statue, which was placed on a

palanquin, circling the shrine. The crowd cried out when the statue was

enshrined into the place of worship. Many performed a wai of respect

while praying.

 

 

Sarintra Iewsakul, 53, followed the procession on foot from the City

Pillar Shrine to the Brahmin temple. Wearing a white dress, she said

she would keep following the statue to the Erawan Shrine as the

ceremony was a unique experience.

 

 

''It's an historic event that is worth attending. I don't think there

will be another chance in our lifetime to see this kind of ritual,''

she said.

 

 

The woman, who has profound belief in the god, said she had been once

favoured during her university entrance exam, where she won a seat at

Chulalongkorn University's faculty of communications. Since then she

has kept her faith in the god, and regularly paid respect to the statue

when she passed by the shrine.

 

 

A 50-year-old woman who identified herself as Supanee turned up with

four garlands, candles and joss sticks to worship the god. ''I come

today to ask the god to help heal my illness,'' said Ms Supanee, who

has breast cancer.

 

 

She was looking for flower petals sprinkled from the procession, to mix

them into home-made herbal medicine.

 

 

Other followers also expected the god to bring them luck, setting their

hopes on the number 9331, the registration number of the leading

vehicle which carried the statue to the shrine. They hope the number

will bring them lottery prizes.

 

 

Flower vendors who have made their earnings at the shrine for decades

also welcomed the return of the statue. They hired a klong yao

(traditional Thai drum) performance troupe to welcome the god.

 

 

''The income we've earned from the shrine isn't as big a matter as the

spiritual ties we feel for the god. He's been with us for so long that

we regard him as our father or grandfather. We're really glad that he's

come back to us today,'' said a vendor, who wanted to be identified as Orathai

 

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