Sandalwood tree cutting ceremony held for royal coffin
For the fourth time in living memory trees were selected from the park for royal ceremonies.
For the fourth time in living memory trees were selected from the park for royal ceremonies.
ROYAL FUNERAL
Sandalwood tree cutting ceremony held for royal coffin
14/11/2016
Apinya Wipatayotin
PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN - A Brahmin ceremony was held on Monday for the cutting of 12 sandalwood trees to be used to build the royal coffin for King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The event was led by the Royal Household Bureau and took place in the Kui Buri National Park in Kui Buri district.
Court Brahman performing tree cutting ceremony at the altar constructed for the purpose.
SEEKING PERMISSION FROM GOD & GODDESS GUARDING FOREST
Golden axe used to cut down the sandalwood trees used in the funeral ceremonies of the Supreme Patriarch in 2015.
The ceremony is conducted to seek permission from the God and the Goddess who are believed to be guarding the trees to cut some of them and move them out of the forest.
The ritual was started at 2.09pm by anointing one of the 12 trees with holy white powder and pouring holy water on it.
The ritual was overseen by Vuth Sumitra, deputy secretary-general of Royal Household Bureau, who chaired the ceremony,
After anointing the tree, Mr. Vuth then went to the ceremony stage to light candles and sticks of incense (joss sticks) on a table full of fruits, boiled ducks, shrimps and pig heads.
He walked around the table to put down the sticks of incense on the prepared fruits and food.
A Brahmin read the message to the holy God and Goddess.
He told them that Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn needed to get the trees from their place for the royal coffin for the late King.
CUTTING SANDAL WOOD TREES WITH GOLDEN AXE
Wood from sandalwood trees is "heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods, it retains its fragrance for decades" (Source: Wikipedia)
After finishing reading, Mr Vuth went to a sandalwood tree with a golden axe, gently cutting it three times and throwing flowers around it.
He did the same with the other 11 sandalwood trees located nearby.
CHOOSING APPROPRIATE TIME TO MOVE WOOD OUT OF PARK
National park chief Kanchanaphan Khamheang said that he would coordinate with the Fine Arts Department for an appropriate time to move the wood out of the park.
Around 500 local people joined the ceremony as they wanted to be part of the memorial event of their beloved King.
KUI BURI NATIONAL PARK: HOME TO HOLY WOOD FOR ROYAL CEREMONIES
Wipa Wongsnit, 33, a villager from neighbouring Yan Sue district, said that she was very proud that her hometown was the great place for the holy wood preserved only for royal ceremonies.
The Kui Buri National Park is a famous home for the trees.
This was the fourth time in living memory that the trees were selected from the park to be part of royal ceremonies.
The first took place after the passing of King Bhumibol’s mother in 1995, followed by that of his sister, Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, in 2007 and that of the Supreme Patriarch last year.
Sandal wood tree before the cutting ceremony began.
Court Brahmin walking towards the sandalwood trees during the ceremony.
One of three dead sandalwood trees in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Kui Buri district cut down to be used in the cremation rites of the Supreme Patriarch on Dec 16, 2015. The trees, each more than 100 years old were used to make dok mai chan, or wooden flowers used in cremation rites, and other items for the ceremony. Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera died aged 100 on Oct 24, 2013.
Local residents of Prachuap Khiri Khan's Kui Buri district pay their respects during the sandalwood tree cutting ceremonies in 2015 for the Supreme Patriarch's funeral ceremonies.
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