HM the King presides over transfer of Royal Relics

[webfact]

HM the King presides over transfer of Royal Relics

By The Nation

 

 

His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over the Royal Ceremony for the collection of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Royal Relics and Royal Ashes from the Royal Crematorium at Sanam Luang and their transfer to The Grand Place on Friday morning.

 

The King arrived at 8.45am, accompanied by fellow member of the Royal Family, including his sisters Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Princess Chulabhorn and Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, as well as his daughters, Princess Bajra Kitiyabha and Sirivannavari Nariratana.

 

The King collected the late monarch's royal relics, which were divided and stored in six Royal Reliquary Urns. The main royal reliquary urn was transferred to the Grand Place for a merit-making ceremony.

 

Five of the royal reliquary urns were presented to King Bhumibol's family, including the current King, Queen Sirikit, Princess Sirindhorn, Princess Chulabhorn and Princess Ubolratana.

 

The Royal Ashes were collected into cone-shape containers which will later be placed at two royal temples, Wat Rachabobhit and Wat Bovornnivej.

 

After the merit-making for collection of the royal relics and royal ashes, the King and Princess Sirindhorn joined the procession for transferring the royal relics and royal ashes from the Royal Cremation at the Sanam Luang ceremonial grounds to the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne in The Grand Palace.

 

The fourth procession, which featured the Royal Reliquary Urn containing the Royal Relics, was transferred to the Royal Palanquin with Four Poles - or Rajendrayan Busabok Palanquin - from the Royal Cremation to Dusit Maha Prasat Throne in the Grand Place.

 

The Royal Ashes in the cone-shaped containers on the small Palanquin with four poles or Rajendrayan Noi was transferred to Phra Sri Rattana Chedi in the Emerald of Buddha.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30330218

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-27

[webfact]

Remains of late Thai king collected after night of tears and ancient funeral rites

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre

 

A soldier salutes in front of the Royal Crematorium during a funeral for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, October 27, 2017. REUTERS/Damir

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The cremated remains of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej were collected on Friday as part of an elaborate, five-day funeral ceremony that drew hundreds of thousands of black-clad mourners to Bangkok's historic old quarter.

 

King Bhumibol was the world's longest-reigning monarch when he died a year ago aged 88. His seven-decade rule spanned some of the most tumultuous moments in modern Thai history, including several coups, a deadly crackdown on student protesters, natural disasters and a regional financial crisis.

 

A final farewell to Rama IX http://reut.rs/2zIF72v

 

His son, new King Maha Vajiralongkorn, presided over the burning of his father's remains in a golden crematorium in a dramatic, late-night ceremony in the Thai capital on Thursday.

 

Many mourners stayed to watch as smoke rose from the crematorium. Some broke down in tears at the end of what was an emotionally charged day, the mid-point of the lavish, $90 million ceremony. Others had travelled many miles to pay their final respects to their revered late king.

Shielded from the sun by a large white-and-gold umbrella, King Vajiralongkorn led a religious ceremony in the morning to collect his father's remains. He sprinkled the bones with sacred water as classical Thai music played in a ceremony that was televised live.

 

The remains were blessed by Thailand's Supreme Patriarch, the head of the order of Buddhist monks. The late king's bones will be taken to the Grand Palace, where he had lain in state since his death last October.

 

Although Thailand does not conduct polls on the monarchy's popularity - partly because of strict laws that protect the royal family from insult - the king built up a wide personal following and is often referred to as "father".

 

In a ceremony steeped in colours, ancient traditions and beating drums, a royal urn was brought from the Grand Palace to the cremation site in three processions on Thursday.

 

The ceremony brought Thailand to a standstill as many businesses, including banks, shut to honour the late king.

 

The late king's nine-spired crematorium, built to honour the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty, features intricate carvings and staircases with sculptures of nagas - a half-human, half- cobra beings - among other mythical creatures.

 

Pictures of mourners wearing black and holding photographs of the late king flooded social media in Thailand, with many using popular hashtags such as #rama9, #kingofkings, and #thegreatestking.

 

(Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-27