A Narratives and the Creation of King Taksin the Great’s Worshipping Rituals: A Case Study from Wat Hong Rattanaram Temple, Bangkok Yai District, Bangkok

Abstract

This research aimed to study how the worshipping rituals of King Taksin the Great performed in Wat Hong Rattanaram Temple had been created. After gathering written, electronic and fieldwork documents both documentary research and fieldwork research, it was revealed that three sets of King Taksin the Great’s Narratives exist in the temple – 1) the importance of Wat Hong Rattanaram Temple in Thonburi Period 2) the death of King Taksin the Great 3) the sacred pond; all lead to both of the king’s worshipping rituals there, which were 1) the king’s spirit worship and 2) sacred water-bathing ritual. Not only the former but also the latter have been created in five ways - 1) selection of oral narrative to set up the relation between King Taksin the Great and place names 2) establishment of relevant symbolic objects 3) creation of rituals concentrating on King Taksin the Great 4) invention of rituals to support the contemporary’s needs 5) integration of cultural beliefs.