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Sacred Blessing Water in Wat Hongrattanaram and the ritual
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  • Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright
    Manage No EE00001974
    Country Thailand
    ICH Domain Social practices, rituals, festive events
    Address
    Wat Hongrattanaram is amongst one of the oldest temples in Thonburi. It is situated near the old Grand Palace as well as the Chaophraya river, the river that played such a central role in Bangkokian’s lives in the past. King Taksin the Great, who brought over many planning concepts from Ayutthaya, the old capital city where each temple had its intangible function, chose this temple as the place to ask for blessings for his military campaigns. This mirrors the role that Wat Phuttaisawan played in Ayutthaya, where that temple was used to obtain blessings for military maneuvers due to its strategic location behind the Grand Palace. The temple complex includes the temple buildings as well as the sacred pool that is close to the canal. It is this pool that is at the center of the water blessing ceremonies.
Description The Sacred blessing water in Wat Hongrattanaram has had a quasi-legendary reputation for many centuries as stories about this pond and Wat Hongrattanaram temple can be dated back since the Ayutthaya period. Reflecting the big role of water in this temple’s rituals, it still maintains the old temple layout that opens with its front gate to the canal side where the holy water pond is also situated. When the kingdom of Ayutthaya was overthrown as a result of the Siamese-Burmese war, the capital city of Thailand was moved by King Taksin to Thonburi on the west bank of the Chaophraya river. The king setup his new capital by imitating the strategic places and landmarks of Ayutthaya, also bringing over the belief in the sacred power of blessed water. Thanks to Wat Hongrattanaram’s proximity to the old Grand Palace, the King chose it as the place to ask for blessings for his military campaigns against the Burmese occupation of Siam. According to the myth, the temple’s most accomplished monks performed magic ceremonies that involved the pond’s four cornerstones of which each faces one of the cardinal directions. Going back to Thai customs, it has long been a belief that water becomes holy through the chanting of sacred chants by the Buddhist monks and other spiritual leaders. Being a devout practitioner of Buddhist vipassana meditation himself, King Taksin the Great attached deep beliefs to the importance of conducting such ceremonies before going to war. His decision to choose this particular temple for the holiness of its water continues to distinguish it from other temples and due to its long history, its sacred pond became well-known among the people of past and present, among locals and even among foreigners who have faith in the sanctity of water.
Social and cultural significance The temple carries significant historical meaning as King Taksin, in his fight against the Burmese occupation of Siam, came here to ask for spiritual blessing. As Taksin’s success laid the foundation of Siam’s return to power under its new capital first in Thonburi and later in Bangkok, the role of this temple’s holy water is still kept in high regard in Thailand, especially by members of the armed forces. Hence, visiting the temple in general and attending the water blessing ceremony in particular, are connected to wishes around military promotion and the likes. In terms of its broader cultural function, the special reputation of the temple’s water blessing ceremony makes it a place where the broader beliefs in the spiritual role of water express themselves with particular clarity. As many Thai Buddhists believe in the liberating power of holy blessings given by monks through the means of holy water, the ritual is a source of hope. During the rituals, the holy water is sprinkled or poured on the laity by the monks, while reciting sacred chants. Rather than the particular meaning of the recited chants, the core meaning of this ritual should be seen in its function to give courage to the gathered lay people who come to the ceremony with wishes and worries on their minds. The very pragmatic way in which the ceremony’s sacred meaning is fused with the mundane can be seen from the practice of bringing bottles to the temple, in order to fill them with holy water, which is later used at home for spiritual cleansing. The ceremony thus offers a bridge for the community members to bring some water invested with the holiness of the temple and its monks back into their homes in order to give spiritual support in meeting the challenges of their everyday lives.
Transmission method In Thailand, it has long been a wide-spread belief that water becomes holy through the performance of sacred rituals that involve the recital of religious chants by exceptionally virtuous people, such as Buddhist monks. This particular belief in holy water goes back to the broader role that water plays in the traditional rituals of Buddhism. It figures as a symbol of peace, tranquility and the absence of suffering. Particularly within Thai Buddhism, there exists a belief that water can wash away bad fortune from a believer’s body and soul. Given this broad acceptance of water’s special role, the sacred pool in Wat Hongrattanaram has been widely recognized by Thais for its special powers. This belief continues to be alive nowadays, as the ritual of blessing the pond’s water is still performed every month. The date for this ceremony is not fixed, but instead determined for each month according to the wisdom of Thai astrology. Each month, the ceremony is attended by many members of the local community and other believers. Beyond the immediate spiritual value that the faithful see in the attendance of this sacred ceremony, they often bring a bottle to take home some of the blessed water with them, where they will use it for symbolically cleansing their bodies and heads by applying small quantities of it. Going back to the role this temple’s holy water played in King Taksin’s military success, the military, particularly the army, continues to support the renovation and upkeep of the temple grounds. Members of the army, even high ranking officers are often seen at the water blessing ceremony, which shows their continued belief in the holy water’s potency in bringing military fortune. Even the temporary ordination of military officers in this temple is quite common.
Community During the reign of King Taksin, when it came to any significant ceremonies, he would come to this temple and have a holy bath in the water of its sacred pool. The belief in the powers of this ritual was widely spread in the Thai army and troops, who had strong faith in its blessings before going to war. Their wishes included asking for great mercy and having an immortal life. Based on these inherited stories, this pool has become popular for people who want to fulfill their wishes and ask for great fortune by following particular water-centered rituals.

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