Introduction to the Brahmin Chapels (Bot Phram)

Indian traders and monks began to travel to Siam around the 1st and 2nd centuries, bringing with them their religions, rituals and gods. In particular, both Buddhism and Brahmanism were well received by the people of Siam, and were mixed with local practices to form the foundations of Thai culture. Buddhism became the official religion, while Brahmanism played a major role in the rituals of the royal court.

King Rama 1 wished that his new city to be as pure as the city of the great Hindu god Brahma. So after consulting with a Brahmin priest, he built the Bot Phram, or Brahmin Chapels. These three holy halls were completed in 1784 making them the oldest buildings in the center of the old city. Each hall is dedicated to a specific Hindu deity including Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh and Brahma. The chapels are well maintained by Brahmin priests who migrated to Siam from South India. Although they are not Buddhist, the Brahmin priests of Bot Phram are responsible for all religious ceremonies within the King’s court. They are strict vegetarians and do not drink alcohol, and they spend a good deal of time studying the Vedic scriptures of India. The priests still provide services as astrologers, and they can be seen here dressed all in white giving consultations under the trees on the south end of the grounds. Today, there are only seven Brahmin priests left.

Brahma Pavilion

Upon entering the courtyard, the first structure you will see is the Brahma Pavilion. Built in 1971, it is the newest shrine in the compound.

Called Phra Phrom in Thailand, Brahma sits alongside Shiva and Vishnu in the Hindu trinity. However, even though Hindus believe Brahma to be the powerful creator of the universe, he is not normally worshipped. Most believe this is because Brahma once lied to Shiva who became angry and placed a curse on Brahma that he would never again be worshipped. Today, out of all the thousands upon thousands of temples in India, only two are dedicated to Brahma.

Oddly enough, there are more shrines dedicated to Brahma in Bangkok than there are anywhere else in the world. The most famous Brahma shrine in the world is the Erawan shrine near Siam Square in Bangkok. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Erawan Shrine every year seeking good fortune in love, business, and even in the lottery.

Brahma is easily recognized by his four heads. Legend has it that he once created a beautiful goddess, and later fell in love with her. His infatuation became so intense that he grew five heads so that she would never be able to escape his gaze. But Shiva, upset that Brahma had become so obsessed with one of his own creations, cut off Brahma’s top-most head, leaving him with only four.

Brahma also has four arms. One of his hands holds a spoon which he uses to pour holy oil into the sacrificial fire. Another hand holds a flask filled with water which he used to create the universe. Brahma also holds a string of beads with which he keeps track of time, and a set of Vedic scriptures.

Shiva Chapel

Just beyond the Brahma pavilion is the Shiva Chapel. Of the three chapels, this one is the largest. Upon entering the hall you will see many images of Lord Shiva, another member of the Hindu trinity.

Shiva is said to be the god of destruction. However, even though he represents destruction, he is viewed as a positive force, since creation follows destruction. Lord Shiva is usually depicted meditating in a cave on the snow-capped Mount Kailash, his home located deep in Tibet. His posture symbolizes perfect inner harmony and poise. Nothing disturbs him. He maintains perfect serenity, equanimity and tranquility in all environments and circumstances.

Shiva is sometimes shown with a trident in his hand. The three pronged weapon symbolizes the destruction of the ego and attainment of the state of perfection.

Many of the Shiva images in this hall were forged from copper and silver in ancient Sukhothai. During World War II, there was a big flood that left the area surrounding the chapel in disarray. The government asked to take some of the images for safekeeping. The priests, however, were not willing to part with the images and eventually decided to give only two; these images were never seen again.

Cha Hong Ceremony

The Shiva Chapel is the site of the annual Triyumpawai Tripawai ceremony which, although related to the giant swing ceremony, is distinct in purpose.

This ritual originated in south India where Brahmin priests would swing the gods to sleep every night before closing their temples at night.

In Thailand, the Triyumpawai Tripawai ceremony has been transformed into a complex 15-day ritual held every winter. During the ritual, the chapel is decorated with bananas and sugarcane symbolizing fertility and prosperity. Wax candles are lit and placed on a golden swan hanging in a miniature white swing. The swan is said to possess the unique ability of separating pure milk from a mixture of milk and water, indicating that one should learn to separate the good from the evil.

As the ritual continues, Brahmin priests chant gloomy poems inspired by the song of a crane mourning the loss of her mate. The quiet recital is disrupted only by loud blasts from conch shell horns. The swan in the swing is softly rocked back and forth to imitate the flight of Shiva and Vishnu down from the heavens to survey the fields and crops. Throughout their visit they are tended to by the Brahmin priests who make offerings of sugarcane, oranges, banana leaves and little lions made of sugar.

All the while, devotees dressed in white sit to the side thanking Shiva for their good fortune while waiting to collect wax droppings peeled from the golden swan. These droppings are said to be the rare tears of the golden swan.

Inside the chapel, you can see the frame of the white swing used during the ceremony, and mounted safely in a glass box on the north side of the entrance is the golden swan.

Ganesh Chapel

The middle chapel is dedicated to Ganesh, the big-bellied son of Shiva. Ganesh is always shown with an elephant head making him the most recognizable Hindu deity. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati who supposedly created Ganesh from a mixture of sweat and turmeric powder. Parvati once instructed the boy to guard the door to her bathing chamber. When Shiva was prevented from entering, he lost his patience and cut off Ganesh’s head. Parvati demanded that Shiva restore his life at once. Unfortunately, Shiva could not find Ganesh’s original head. So, as a last resort, he attached an elephant’s head to Ganesh’s body and brought the boy back to life. His elephant head makes him the easiest deity to recognize in the Hindu pantheon.

Since the first century, Hindu traders carried Ganesh images with them to Siam for success in their travels and trade. The worship of Ganesh caught on and Ganesh was quickly integrated into Thai culture, playing an especially major role in Brahmin royal court rituals. The Thais began to make Ganesh images for themselves. The oldest such image in Southeast Asia is seated here in the Ganesh Chapel, and dates to the fifth century.

Ganesh is able to create and remove all types of obstacles. Some say that his enormous pot belly can hold the obstacles and stress of infinite universes, more than enough room for all the Thai students who pray to Ganesh before taking their university exams. More and more Thais carry Ganesh amulets coded with cryptic lettering believing that “wherever there is Ganesh, there is success and prosperity.” A quick prayer to Ganesh before buying a new house or car, or before a job interview could make the difference between success and failure.

Figures of Ganesh are most commonly seen with four arms representing mind, intellect, ego, and conscience. Each hand carries one of fifty-seven symbols. The most common symbols are:

Axe, Ganesh can both strike and repel obstacles. The axe is also to prod man to the path of righteousness and truth;
The whip conveys that worldly attachments and desires should be rid of;
The third hand, turned towards the devotee, is in a pose of blessing, refuge and protection.
The fourth hand holds a lotus flower, and it symbolizes the highest goal of human evolution, the sweetness of the realized inner self.

King Rama 6 established the importance of Ganesh as the god of arts by selecting Ganesh as the symbol of various institutions, including the Literature Society, Fine Arts Department, and the University of Fine Arts. Even today most Thai plays, dances, or musical performances begin with a prayer to Ganesh.