Giant Swing

Sao Ching Cha ( Thai: เสา ชิงช้า - Giant Swing ) is a landmark of Bangkok, capital of Thailand.

Location

Sao Ching Cha, the " Giant Swing ", is located in the heart of old Bangkok Bamrung Mueang road in Phra Nakhon district. Just south of it is one of the largest temples in Bangkok, the Wat Suthat, north is the city government of Bangkok. Northwest, somewhat hidden behind trees, lies the Brahmanical shrine Devasathan.

Since the swing ceremony is traditionally regarded as a sun ceremony, the swing is also oriented so that it can be " along the course of the sun", ie from East to West, rocked.

Another swing should have been in the 1930s still in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

History

Sao Ching Cha was built in 1784 by King Phra Phutthayotfa Chulaloke ( Rama I ) in front of the Brahma Shrine Devasathan, which was created at the same time. The recommendation to build this swing, the king got from a Brahmin from the province of Sukhothai, who assured him that such a ceremony would be his new capital gain strength. During the reign of King Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai ( Rama II ) annual swing ceremony was not performed because the bar had been badly damaged by a lightning strike.

In 1920, the swing was renovated and rebuilt to its present position. After the Bangkok Times, " the big swing post opposite the Wat Suthat are to be laid in the middle of the road, which extends and is equipped with two lanes ". The freed space was the largest fresh vegetable market in the city, Talad Sao Ching Cha. The renovation of that time was funded by the Louis T. Leonowens Company, in honor of its founder, the son of Anna Leonowens.

The swing ceremony was continued until 1935 carried out, but then finally abandoned due to some serious accidents.

1959 took place a renewed renovation. But after they had defied a total of 224 years of wind and weather, the beams showed serious damage. Thus began in April 2005 a major overhaul of the building. A total of six teak strains were used, the 100 year old trees were found in Phrae province. The two main support beams have a circumference of 3.50 meters and over 30 meters high. The four other bars are used to reinforce the main beams, they are each 20 meters high and have a circumference of 2.30 m. The swing was first completely dismantled in October 2006. Parts thereof should first be exhibited in the Devasathan, but lack of space, they are now in the National Museum Bangkok.

In September 2007, in a ceremony chaired by the present King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX. ) Was inaugurated the new swing.

Swing Ceremony

The swing ceremony ( Thai: พิธี ตรียัมปวาย - Phithi Triyampawai, popular name โล้ ชิงช้า, Lo Ching Cha - " back and forth, moving the swing " ) was already one of the twelve court ceremonies in specific months of the Thai lunar calendar UK Sukhothai were performed. Originally, it was held in the first lunar month, but during the early Rattanakosin era, the beginning of the 19th century, it was moved to the second lunar month. It is the traditional celebration of the Brahmanical New Year and lasted ten days.

According to an ancient Hindu epic sent Brahma, after creating the world, Shiva to the earth to set things right. When Shiva came down to earth, great Nagas wrapped around two mountains to stabilize the earth. When Shiva found the earth firmly anchored, the Nagas celebrated in the sea. The Swing Ceremony is designed to reproduce this story. The mountains are symbolized by the two long main bar, while the circular base of the swing for the earth and the sea is.

Eyewitnesses report

The Orientalist Dr. Horace Geoffrey Quaritch Wales in 1930 was an eye-witness at the swing ceremony. In his book, Siamese State Ceremonies he detailed accurately describes the course of the festivities:

After Siamese faith Shiva is for 10 days visit the earth once a year. Traditionally, it is the seventh day of the waxing moon in the first lunar month to arrive, and remain until the first day of the waning moon. First, however, have the Brahmins " open the gates of Kailash " in a special ceremony in Devasathan. Since Shiva is a cheerful God, he loves to be entertained. In addition to the actual swing ceremony a grand procession with acrobatic performances was launched. On certain evenings during his visit to a shadow play ( Nang ) is listed in honor of Shiva before the Brahmin temple.

As a performer, a nobleman of God is chosen by the King of Thailand, during the Ayutthaya period, it was the Chao Phraya Ponlathep ( เจ้าพระยา พลเทพ - Agriculture Minister ), each later another minister who is crowned to a temporary king. This bears as a sign of his dignity a pointed hat and a panung brocade, over a long white robe. Accompanying him are musicians, drummers (see: Khlong Nong Tueng, klong Chum ) and conch - blowers, sun and moon, the earth and the Ganges. Carrier with royal umbrellas to protect him from the sun. Low gods are represented symbolically on large panels.

On the morning of the seventh day of the waxing moon, the procession begins at Wat Ratcha Burana, which lies at the southern end of the Rattanakosin Island. Among the noise of drummers and conch - blowers Shiva is carried to the north of Wat Suthat in a litter with a large entourage up to the festival site. Once God has then taken his place on the throne in a specially built pavilion, struck his left foot over the right knee, the rocking begins.

There are three groups of Schauklern ( Narivan ), each consisting of four men. They wear a peculiar head-dress, which she identifies as Nagas. For each group of Schauklern a money bag is attached to a long bamboo pole, which is situated west of the swing in the distance. The first group gets twelve, the second ten, and the third eight baht.

After they have paid their homage to Shiva, the four men sit first after another in the elongated swing. A man pulling on a rope that is attached to the swing, to give it the first swing (hence the popular name of the ceremony Lo Ching Cha ). Then, standing on the first man who is closest to the purse, while the rearmost tried to maneuver the swing closer to the bag. The front man now has to try to get the bag with his teeth. Since the wallet is very high suspended, the swing should be almost perpendicular to reach the money. Futile Attempts are acknowledged with jeers of the audience, the success is rewarded with loud applause. Accidents were not uncommon in the past and were considered very bad omen for the coming year.

When all three groups have completed their task, they say goodbye with a Wai of Shiva, the back mounts his litter and is headed by the procession from the fairground. This is the ceremony of the first day to the end.

On the second day, only certain rites in the Shiva Shrine of the Brahmin temple Devasathan be performed. On the third day there in the evening again a swing ceremony with additional attractions. As before, the procession starts at Wat Ratcha Burana, winds through the alleys of the old town to the festival site, where again three groups of Schauklern try to get the coins from the bamboo pole. Subsequently, Nagas bring a large bronze water container ( Khan Sagara ), which they set up in front of Shiva. In three circles a dance ( Senan ) is then given to the water, it vibrates every Naga a buffalo horn to the beat of drums and conch shells. Towards the end of the dance, the dancers run to the water tank, fill her horn with water, which they then spray each other. Then Shiva rises and goes to another pavilion at the fairground, the Nagas follow him to the water container. Again, it is listed here before the God of dance and splashed. This process is repeated a third time before Shiva is headed by the procession back to Wat Ratcha Burana.

During the remaining days will be numerous " services " celebrated in Shiva and Ganesha Shrine. On the last day are forming in the evening the Brahmin to a " Procession of the Naresuan " when Shiva leaves the world again. From Devasathan this procession, accompanied again by numerous drummers and conch - blowers going to be kings temple where the king to the participants via three small statues representing Shiva, Uma and Ganesha. A fireworks display, which is meant to symbolize the Parichat tree in Indra's paradise, is burned at the palace walls. Then the king of the procession follows back to Devasathan, where he takes part in another ceremony in the shrines of the three deities.

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