The Royal Relics Parade

Opening days: Daily

Opening hours: 08.00 - 17.00

 

The Royal Relics Parade An annual merit event on the Thonburi side that has been practiced for a long time And is known to people on the Thonburi and Bangkok side. Widely used in the past was "Chak Phra Wat Nang Chee" or known today as "The Relics Parade".

 

Wat Nang Chee is an old temple, it is not known exactly when it was built. But it can be assumed that it was a temple built since the Ayutthaya period. Chao Phraya Phichit Chaimontri built with Phraya Rue Chainarong. and leave Luang Sena Sunthon The reason it was created was because the mother Im, the daughter of Chao Phraya Phichitchai Montri, was ill for unknown reasons. Until a Chee Pakhao came to a vision in a dream for Chao Phraya to win Chaimontri vow by having her daughter ordained a monk.

 

So when my mother is full of sickness Chao Phraya Phichaimontri therefore gave his daughter to be ordained and built this temple. This temple has become an abandoned temple in the land of King Boromkot. (King Thirat 2) because of lack of care This may be due to being in the middle of a war with Burma before Ayutthaya's second breakup. This temple was restored during the reign of King Rama I of Rattanakosin. A junk merchant named Phraya Chotuk Ratchasetthi A Chinese merchant living in the land of Siam has restored and renovated the whole temple.

 

Has modified and modified the shape of the temple to be in Chinese style decorated with porcelain and brought Chinese stone dolls and paving stones from China to renovate this temple. In addition, many Chinese utensils were donated. and an ebony bed decorated with mother-of-pearl and marble designs. which belonged to the daughter who died in this bed when she was about 18 years old, when finished, this temple was dedicated to King Buddha Yodfa Chulalok as a royal temple, named "Wat Nang Chee Chotikaram" later in the reign of King Rama V 3 Phraya Rachanuchit (Jong) renovated and renovated this temple again and offered it as a third-class royal monastery. as it appears to this day.

 

Important special objects in the temple are Buddha's relics and disciples' relics, which are indeterminate. May increase or decrease differently each year. Before bringing the Buddha's relics for people to bathe in water There will be counting the number of Buddha's relics and disciples' relics every time. After the procession of the Buddha's relics is finished, it will be inspected one more time before being enshrined on the abbot's cubicle. The relics are very small, about half the size of a broken grain of rice. When counting, use a magnifying glass to help you see clearly. Krom Muen Wittawanpreecha wrote about the increasing number of relics. and reduced in the book of the relics that Relics and relics are strange things. If it is a relic, it is said that he came by himself. come by yourself Once, about 20 years ago, he said that the relics at Wat Nang Chee Phasi Charoen District Thonburi Province, some years.

 

The number has increased some years, but the number has decreased. to prove it It was true as they said. The first year to see there were many. the second time less the third time the number increases but not up to the number of first visits. I wonder if the temple will remove it or add it to the illusion that there is a miracle. Asked the abbot, he said that he had never been involved. Since he has been the abbot for many years, he has never shown it. Take it out to bathe once a year, which is the day of the parade and check in front of the judges as well.

 

The Buddha's relics at Wat Nang Chee are not contained in the chedi like other relics, but are contained in a glass casket, which is a perfume bottle from France that palace residents used to mix with perfume and bathe in the old days. and enshrined at a specially prepared mandapa According to the history that has been told over and over again, it is said that around 1219, 3 Brahmins and 9 Chinese people brought the Buddha's relics, packed in two gold casks, by junk boats from the Indian subcontinent.

 

To be enshrined in Pathaku Cham Sriwichai Empire (Nakhon Si Thammarat) and another in Chiang Mai. But when the Buddha's relics were brought to be enshrined in Nakhon Si Thammarat (At present, the relics are contained in the stupa at Wat Phra Borommathat. Nakhon Si Thammarat Province) and then continued to travel until the boat had an accident that capsized at the present Khlong Dan estuary. (According to the geography during the Srivijaya Kingdom, the Thonburi area was still a dense forest. and the ground has not sprouted as much as it is today), the Brahmins and the Chinese.

 

They united to bring the Buddha's relics up about 5 miles from the sinking ship. Seeing that it was safe, they agreed to bring the Buddha's relics to be enshrined there, but did not know how they were enshrined. Long ago, the gold casket containing the Buddha's relics was buried in the ground. The Buddha's relics that were invited to come at that time were 5 Buddha's relics, which were mostly the arms, ribs, knees and legs, later in the reign of Phra Chai Racha (hero), the 13th King of Ayutthaya, around the year . 2082 is the year that Wat Nang Chee was completed. The Buddha's relics ascended to appear to all 5 nuns. The nuns were invited to enshrine them in a glass casket and have been enshrined at this Nang Chee Temple since then.

 

Period Held on the 2nd day of the waning moon of the 12th lunar month of every year after Loy Krathong Day and the Mahachat Sermon The temple will arrange a ceremony to bathe the Buddha's relics. Or known in the past as "Chak Phra event" or known today as "The Relics Parade".

 

Significance It is the only Chak Phra event held in Bangkok. It is also different from the Chak Phra festival in the southern provinces, which is a tradition that stems from the history of the Buddha when the Lord Buddha came from Daowadung. So he invited the Buddha to sit on the Busabok that was prepared to parade to his residence. Which is done on the first day of the waning moon of the 11th lunar month, which is the day of the Buddhist Lent by bringing the Buddha image up to be enshrined on the Busabok on the car or on the boat and give the villagers a boat or people helping to hold the end of the rope to drag the monk away But the ceremony to draw Phra Wat Nang Chee is to invite the Buddha's relics. and the disciples' relics were enshrined on Busabok instead, and then paraded by boat in front of Wat Nang Chee along the Dan Canal. Turn left along the Bangkok Yai Canal. and past the end of the canal, which is called the canal.

 

Chak Phra (now the word Khlong Chak Phra still appears as the name of various places in the area such as Khlong Chak Phra Subdistrict Khlong Chak Phra Bridge, Chak Phra Road, etc.) and then go around through the Bangkok Noi Canal and cruise along the Bangkok Noi Canal. It is estimated that when we arrive at Wat Kai Tia, Taling Chan District, around the time Pel stops the procession and goes up to feed the monks there After that, we take the procession to the mouth of the Bangkok Noi canal. Turn right along the Chao Phraya River and enter the Bangkok Yai Canal. (Khlong Bang Luang) and then come back to the mouth of Khlong Dan back to Wat Nang Chee as before. This parade is often called the villagers. "The parade around the island".

 

Rituals In the old days, Chak Phra Wat Nang Chee was the most bustling regular festival in the area. Those who attend the procession will dress beautifully, neatly, and prepare to buy clothes since the Golden Mountain Fair. It is believed that in any year, if the relics are not paraded, there must be a cause that causes diseases or disasters to the villagers in that area. Even during World War II, the government forbids the parade or hold any event But the royal relics procession still has to be carried out according to tradition with special permission. The procession of the Buddha's relics in the past was a rowboat procession helping to lead the boat that enshrined the Buddha's relics. The temple will bring the Buddha's relics to bathe early in the morning. and will begin to move out of the temple from 6.00 am. . The next day, hundreds of ships in attendance came from the district near and far.

 

There are many types of parade participation. The people in each boat will be dressed the same as it is agreed upon. Some of them were dressed as clowns, such as wearing bald heads. Or arrange to play a play, li-ke, song in the boat as fun. In addition, there are boats towing the relics. These boats are boats that beautifully decorated the bow and stern, such as the head of a swan, a swan, etc. These boats will be prepared by various temples. Near the Chak Phra festival in the area, he would borrow a boat at the temple to prepare the boat and decorate it for the procession. The boat that enshrines the Buddha's relics is a large, beautifully decorated boat with a music ensemble playing along the way. Kanchanakphan said that the Chak Phra procession was a long boat known as a "cruising boat" that could sit at least 5-6 people in beautiful oil. throughout the middle of the paddle Every boat has a red ribbon tied at the bow of the boat. boat with oars.

 

There were about 200 boats dressed in various strange outfits, one of which was a long boat, a cha-cha boat, a boat-mad boat. These boats had at least 20 passengers, a total of about fifty boats. In the distance, besides, it is a sailing boat that shows plays, li-ke, etc. There are about 10 boats in the boat (but not the whole show, there are only 2-3 boats in one). The whole boat was beautifully decorated with about 20 other tugboats as the procession moved. When reaching any bridge, the Buddha's relics will be summoned from the boat. Let people walk across the bridge to get into the boat on the other side all the way when reaching Wat Kai Tia will allow people in that area to bathe in the relics in the boat while taking a break to have fun. Fun boat races.

 

Later, it was switched to a motor boat to haul a boat that enshrines the Buddha's relics. There were still fun skits. There are fewer boats following the royal relics. Nowadays, motor boats are used to drag boats The rowing boat was too small because the boat couldn't catch up with the tow boat. The pie didn't catch up, it didn't mean anything. The ships were gradually reduced. because of the cheerfulness of being grouped by the royal relics boats as the strength of the people Sooner or later, he did not appeal. Sometimes it's fun to come up and help each other tied the boat in the tree. Refuse to let go When it's fun enough for the need to let the tugboat go.

 

Before 1987, the boat that enshrined the Buddha's relics was transformed into a large motor boat. that still decorates the boat the same way As for the boats following the procession, it was changed to a long-tail boat, where those who would join the procession had to pay for that boat's fare. Although there were no villagers' boats to join the parade with great pomp like in the past. The villagers along the canal still sit and watch the parade along the canal densely, those deep inside will paddle to park and watch the procession in a row. When the boat parade nears Wat Kai Tia, Taling Chan District, a boat parade of villagers will join the parade. There are also many ships dressed beautifully. is the same Bang Lam has singing and dancing. Have fun dancing in the boat When we arrive at Wat Kai Tia, the Buddha's relics are invited to be enshrined on the place that the temple has arranged for the villagers in that area to worship.

 

Many elders said that in the past, miracles always appeared. For example, there will be a strange light in the sky before the Buddha's relics are paraded. or a large fireball appeared in the east or strange light in the area where the relics are enshrined The miracle is rumored and talked about to this day. The miracle that happened decades ago When the boat was still used to tow the relics, it was said that when the parade came back to Wat Intharam (South) there was a quarrel on the boat. The people were shocked. fleeing together until the relic boat capsized The Buddha's relics and the casket containing the Buddha's relics located on the Busabok fell into the middle of the canal at about 2 p.m. Finally, the procession had to return to Wat Nang Chee without the relics as well. The abbot was very sad when.

 

Come back to the temple to perform the royal relics ceremony to return to Wat Nang Chee as before. After a few days, villagers around Wat Intharam (South) saw a glass casket containing the Buddha's relics on a pedestal. Therefore brought to offer to Wat Nang Chee as before. In 1979, the royal relics parade was changed to be held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays after Loy Krathong in the years 1987 and 1988, the Governor of Bangkok, Major General. Chamlong Srimuang presided over the royal relics procession. The boats that participated in the procession were decorated beautifully as the wrecking boats. And the navy arranged a boat like a rower to join the procession as well. and arranged as a boat to bring the Buddha's relics.