The white elephant
The information officer of the National Elephant Institute in Lampang enthusiastically continues her story about elephants. After learning a lot about 'Elephants and religion' I now get to hear a whole story about the so-called white elephant.
White elephants have been considered sacred in Thailand for centuries and are therefore reserved only for the king.
A 'white' elephant has special genetic characteristics and it is certainly not just the pigment abnormality that makes it so special. The Thais attribute special properties to the very rare white elephants; they protect the Royal House, provide rain in the dry season and bring prosperity to the kingdom. Not only in Thailand, but also in Burma, Laos and among the Mon and Khmer, since the rise of Buddhism and Hinduism, the white elephant has been regarded as sacred and a bringer of prosperity.
Science and law
'White elephant' is a term everyone understands and refers to pink, white or light gray. However, a better description for white elephant is an exceptional elephant with remarkable character traits. A bill from 1921 states that a white elephant must have seven special characteristics that are described in the Thai elephant bible, the so-called kochasat. 1.
white eyes 2. white palate 3. white nails 4. white hair 5. white skin, or skin similar to the color of a new clay pot 6. white tail 7. white or new clay pot colored genitals.
This bill states that a real so-called white elephant must possess these seven characteristics. An elephant that possesses only a few of these so characteristic features is described in the kochasat as peculiar or elephant with a color deviation. The law also describes the 'Chang Niam'. This third species exhibits three characteristics: black skin, banana-like tusks, and black nails.
Article 12 of the said law states that the three kinds of elephants may only belong to the king. Owners who have such an elephant are obliged to donate it to the king according to an old tradition. Disobedience will be punished.
A white elephant ranks equal to a prince. A ceremony that takes place at only three special events involves the reading of a rhythmic poem accompanied by a trio in which one person sings, a second person plays the violin and the third person handles the drums. Those very exclusive three events are: the coronation ceremony, the birth of a prince and the appointment as an exceptional elephant.
At the end of her enthusiastic story I am told that in the Ayutthaya period King Narai gave three young elephants to the French king as a gift. Some handlers brought the elephants to the ship and a sad farewell followed.
At the end of her story, make a gesture as if I can no longer hold back my tears and thank Kanchana on behalf of the readers of Thailandblog for her enthusiastic elephant stories.
Dear readers, I wish you all a life like an elephant and I mean that very complimentary. After all, the elephant symbolizes strength, intelligence, happiness, reason and invincible power. Jumbo has a long life and seems almost immortal. In this article no image of a white but of a colorful elephant.
Make 2016 a colorful year, because every day can be a holiday, but you have to hang the garlands yourself.