Page 7 - The Coronation Ceremony

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The Sacred Water Collecting Ceremony

Thai monarchs are highly revered as divine Kings – a tradition influenced by Hinduism.

According to the ancient Brahmanism textbook, the sacred water for the purification bath and

anointment rites must come from Pancha Maha Natee or five main streams in India, namely
the Ganga, Mahi, Yamuna, Aciravati and Sarabhu Rivers. These rivers flow down from Mount

Kailash that is considered in Hinduism the physical embodiment of Mount Sumeru – the
epicentre of the universe and the abode of Shiva.

“In the late Ayutthaya period, five local principle rivers collectively called Bencha

Suttha Khongkha were used to represent the five main streams in India. The five sources were
Bang Pakong, Pasak, Chao Phraya, Ratchaburi and Phetchaburi Rivers. During the Ban Phlu

Luang dynasty (1688-1767) – the last group of Kings in the Ayutthaya Kingdom, water from
four ancient sacred ponds –Sa Ket, Sa Kaeo, Sa Khongkha and Sa Yamuna in Suphan Buri –

was added to the ritual because the dynasty’s Kings hailed from Suphan Buri,” added Prof MR

Suriyavudh Suksvasti, the art historian and chief of the sub-committee set up to providing
information of the coronation ceremony.

[digital image] Retrieved from http://www.m-culture.go.th