Of ruined temples and long dead Kings (Paying our respects to Prince Saen-Phu)
The history of Chiang Saen is long and almost glorious (well glorious to the non-partisan observer, to the Thai it's glory is dented somewhat by having been in the hands of the Burmese for a century or so; a pincer base for movements against Chiang Mai) and as many different versions of its founding are told as there are tour guides telling the story. In pre-Chiang Saen days the Khmer claim to have attacked the city of Yonok before the whole thing sank beneath the lake, the Lao claim that their city of Souvanhakhomkham pre-dated it before the Mekong changed course.
Both of these claims do have some basis in fact, it seems, but it does seem undisputed that at some point in what we in the West would claim as the 12 or 1300's King Mengrai - who went on to found Chiang Rai and then Chiang Mai (having allegedly become bored of life in the religious town of Haripunchai - too many monks and teachings) - swept down the river, noticed three auspicious looking hills and came ashore. My brain is now a bit fuzzy on the whole thing, I think he then lost his prize elephant and managed to catch it again in what then became Chiang Rai leaving his nephew, Prince Saen-Phu, behind to found a town at the bend in the river where the great King came ashore.
In the mid-1300's Sean-Phu apparently founded what is now the most beautiful of the many ruined temples found dotted throughout the modern town, bafflingly (to me anyway) outside the city walls, facing West to be most beautiful in the sunset, Wat Pa-Sak, the teak forest temple.
Fast-forward 6 or 7 centuries, on a date that doesn't appear auspicious but must have be to someone, one of the town councils decides to re-enact the consecration of the temple and comes to the local hotels for money to help pay for the parade - well, money? Not a great deal of that around but we do have elephants, how about we send you a few of those?
Phu-Khi, the resident tusker and parade veteran is in musth, so we sent Beau - Sean-Phu would, unfortunately have to make do with riding into town on a female, our apologies were made to the shrine of his Uncle King Mengrai the Great (who still runs the spiritual show around here) - and, just to add to the mix Pepsi, Dah and Sakura went along to greet guests.
At the temple all the stall-holders were in local dress and selling almost traditional foods (that could only be bought for a china cowry shell token - knew I shouldn't have left my St Agnes Scilly Island haul back in the UK, could be a rich man in mock 12th Century Chiang Saen), as with all parades it took all day to practice and organise and about 15 minutes to enact, however, merit was made, the eles got well fed (and a night on holy ground) and once again the local folks will think of us when they think of elephants.
...waiting for the fun to begin, Pepsi with the main Chedi of Wat Pa Sak in the background...
...the babies come into the sunset camp for the pre-parade bath...
...Khun Noi and Nong Beau, erm, resplendent!
...Prince Saen-Phu and his umbrella carrier prepare to process...
...too much dust and smoke for my cheap camera to resort to flash, have to play with long exposures (indulge me!)...
...Dah and Sakura stay together in the morning mist by one of the lesser temples...
...still worshipped, the Buddha blesses the morning as the babies prepare for the slow meander home.
Both of these claims do have some basis in fact, it seems, but it does seem undisputed that at some point in what we in the West would claim as the 12 or 1300's King Mengrai - who went on to found Chiang Rai and then Chiang Mai (having allegedly become bored of life in the religious town of Haripunchai - too many monks and teachings) - swept down the river, noticed three auspicious looking hills and came ashore. My brain is now a bit fuzzy on the whole thing, I think he then lost his prize elephant and managed to catch it again in what then became Chiang Rai leaving his nephew, Prince Saen-Phu, behind to found a town at the bend in the river where the great King came ashore.
In the mid-1300's Sean-Phu apparently founded what is now the most beautiful of the many ruined temples found dotted throughout the modern town, bafflingly (to me anyway) outside the city walls, facing West to be most beautiful in the sunset, Wat Pa-Sak, the teak forest temple.
Fast-forward 6 or 7 centuries, on a date that doesn't appear auspicious but must have be to someone, one of the town councils decides to re-enact the consecration of the temple and comes to the local hotels for money to help pay for the parade - well, money? Not a great deal of that around but we do have elephants, how about we send you a few of those?
Phu-Khi, the resident tusker and parade veteran is in musth, so we sent Beau - Sean-Phu would, unfortunately have to make do with riding into town on a female, our apologies were made to the shrine of his Uncle King Mengrai the Great (who still runs the spiritual show around here) - and, just to add to the mix Pepsi, Dah and Sakura went along to greet guests.
At the temple all the stall-holders were in local dress and selling almost traditional foods (that could only be bought for a china cowry shell token - knew I shouldn't have left my St Agnes Scilly Island haul back in the UK, could be a rich man in mock 12th Century Chiang Saen), as with all parades it took all day to practice and organise and about 15 minutes to enact, however, merit was made, the eles got well fed (and a night on holy ground) and once again the local folks will think of us when they think of elephants.
...waiting for the fun to begin, Pepsi with the main Chedi of Wat Pa Sak in the background...
...the babies come into the sunset camp for the pre-parade bath...
...Khun Noi and Nong Beau, erm, resplendent!
...Prince Saen-Phu and his umbrella carrier prepare to process...
...too much dust and smoke for my cheap camera to resort to flash, have to play with long exposures (indulge me!)...
...Dah and Sakura stay together in the morning mist by one of the lesser temples...
...still worshipped, the Buddha blesses the morning as the babies prepare for the slow meander home.
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