Inflation hits, even with Lord Buddha
If you're not in Thailand you will undoubtedly notice that inflation has also hit quite a bit there.
You can call it superstition, but every time I arrive in Thailand I visit the well-known Erawan temple in Bangkok. In my opinion, the most amusing but at the same time the most adored temple in Bangkok. Can spend half an hour there very quietly sitting on a bench to take in all the tinsel surrounding the event. If you still doubt the existence of a God in the form of Jesus, Allah or Buddha, you will definitely come to your senses in any form here.
History
When at the end of 1955 the decision is made to build the Erawan hotels to build, the astrologer Luang Suwichanphaet comes into play. From his crystal ball he draws the conclusion that the decision to start building at that moment is not the right time. Unless, so the story goes, the future owners build a small temple in honor of Thao Maha Brahma on that spot. And so it happened. On November 9, 1956, this small temple, adored by many as a sanctuary, was opened to the earthly people. Every year, the gullibles commemorate this memorable day for them.
Trade in tinsel
For the Asian, and not only for the Thai, religion and superstition play an important role in daily life. Let us not forget that it is not so very long ago, and still exists in certain parts of our country, that hell and damnation were preached to unbelief and heresy. A lively trade has developed around the Erawan event. You go there for 'good luck', a good friend, a nice job or just a prize in the lottery. There are many resources available to fulfill a certain wish. Just light a few incense sticks, offer flowers, a wooden elephant or ditto horse. Deposit bananas or a coconut at the temple.
If you want to have a better chance of letting happiness descend on you, let the dancers and the gamelan orchestra, consisting of a few men, come into action. Well, it costs a few baht, but the revenues will flow abundantly to you, at least many hope so. You can request 2, 4, 6 or 8 dancers to make some gracefully executed dance steps to add strength. You then have a good chance that the venerable heavenly Buddha will send down the requested favors towards earth to your person. You yourself go with your hands folded piously, take off your shoes and face towards the temple, sitting obediently on your knees, say your prayer and request. You do this for about a minute and a half with, if you have donated the requested money, the support of the dancers and the orchestra. Cost? Well, money is essentially unimportant for a request to heaven and Lord Buddha. His blessing and, above all, earthly happiness will descend on you, just think of the old Dutch saying: 'The cost goes before the gain'. For the curious: for 2, 4, 6 and 8 dancers you pay 260, 360, 610 and 710 baht respectively for barely one and a half minutes. As you can see, inflation has also hit the Lord Buddha and prices have built up quite commercially.
A good deed
Are you less godly by nature, but do you still feel like a good person? Everything has been thought of at the Erawan temple. As a very good person, your so good heart gets upset when you watch the caged birds standing there. For barely 400 baht you can set nine birds free. They fly to heaven and then great happiness will also be yours. Sure. For the price you only have to leave four beers. Yes, inflation is starting to kick in in Bangkok.
Addition - The Erawan Shrine - it is actually a golden statue with the four faces of the Hindu god Brahma, called Dan Tao Mahaprom (Hinduism). Isn't the original anymore since a man attacked it with a hammer. The perpetrator of the destruction was clubbed to death by the onlookers on the spot. It was quickly replaced by an image with parts of the original.
I sometimes lit candles with my wife at the Erawan shrine for a fee. However, when we walked past the temple again 10 minutes later, all the candles had disappeared. When it is busy they are removed to make room for new customers. They don't get a chance to burn out completely….I felt cheated but yes.TIT
How many times have I been to Bangkok now? Many times.
And this temple (little?) I have missed until now. Then next week.
Including dancers!
Thanks for the tip
Gerrit
Yes, those dancers are very important to you, aren't they, Gerrit!
Oh yeah. they belong in Thailand.
It's wonderful if you can enjoy all facets without feeling stressed.
Was there once during a demonstration of the 'red shirts' there at that intersection. It was funny that things at the shrine, as described by Joseph Jongen, continued as if nothing had happened.
You have a good view of it from the 'walk-over'.
As for removing candles, have you ever been to Lourdes? you buy candles that are generously sized, but before they have burned up to half, they are already in the melting pot, mainly because so many tourists want to burn a candle that there is simply no place to put them. There is a special team with large baskets that remove the lit candles before they burn out! Faith is beautiful, but commerce still wins!
the astrologer was called in because the construction of the “erawan hotel” was delayed due to a series of incidents (high unforeseen additional costs, the high number of accidents among the workers and the sinking of a ship en route to thailand with italian marble on board for the completion) after the shrine was inaugurated, construction proceeded without incident. according to the astrologer, the cause was the fact that criminals were publicly pilloried there much earlier in history. The hotel was demolished in 1987 and the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel took its place.
indeed worth stopping by and watching the different rituals that the faithful perform there as well as to see the band and dancers at work.
several times a year there are large ceremonies around the shrine. I happened to walk by on March 21, 2010 (the day the statue was destroyed in 2006). there was a mass of people and almost no way through. but I just placed myself among the people and then it is nice to spontaneously hear a piece of the history of the shrine from different Thais (especially from the people who are responsible for the maintenance of the site)