Enduring rituals
An ancient Brahmin rite remains alive in Bangkok in the form of a 10-day ceremony
- Published: 12 Feb 2013 at 00.00
- Newspaper section: Life
Serenity covered the tiny Devastan Shrine on Din So Road as a stream of worshippers entered the main gate into the elegantly-decorated place. It was late into the night, but no one seemed to mind.
Children with traditional hairstyles attend the tonsure ritual, which marks the end of Triyumpawai or the Brahmin New Year. The shaving of the head, presided jointly over by Phra Maha Raja Guru Bidhi Sri Visudhigun and Buddhist monks, signifies the rite of passage from child to adulthood.
Their mission was to pay respect to the Hindu gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, who according to myth came down to earth once a year to give blessings to humans in two rituals known as Triyumpawai and Tripawai.
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