 "The kings of this country are considered to be the descendants of Lord Rama, the national scripture is Ramayana, read interesting information")
On January 22, it will be one year since the installation of the statue of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. People in India worship Shri Ram. Here Sri Rama is worshiped as Lord Rama. But there is one country in Asia which belongs to Buddhism but here too Rama is worshipped. As there is Ayodhya in India, in the same way there is a city of Ayodhya along with Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. Means the city of Ayodhya in Thailand. Around this city there are temples of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. The people there believe that it was the capital of Shri Ram. Thailand offers a beautiful blend of Buddhism and Hinduism.
Thailand was originally a Hindu nation. Hence, Hinduism has had a profound influence on the Thai royal family for centuries. The people of Thailand consider the King of Thailand to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The current Chakra dynasty of Thailand has been calling itself Rama. It is the same Rama whom the followers of Sanatan Dharma worship as an incarnation of Lord Rama, Vishnu. The question arises why the dynasty uses ‘Rama’ in its name? What is their relationship with Lord Ram? Let us tell you that the current king of Chakri dynasty is called Ram ‘Dasham’.
When was the title Rama added?
Kings of the Chakri dynasty have continued to use the epithet Rama along with their names. However, it is clear from Ram Dasham that ten generations ago the kings of the Chakri dynasty did not add the epithet Rama to their names. The reason for adding the Ram number to the title is believed to be the influence of European culture. Vajiravuddha, the sixth king of this dynasty, studied in England. During this time he recited the names of British rulers Pancham etc. After this, he got the idea to tie the score with Ram. Vajiravudha is said to have been the first to call himself Rama ‘the sixth’. After this, there was a trend of adding numbers to the title of Rama in the names of kings of Chakri dynasty.
How did they call the Thai king before?
In Thai tradition the common people did not name their king. That is why Puthyotpha Chalulok, the first king of the Chakra dynasty, added ‘Phan Din Ton’ to his name. It is a Thai word, meaning ‘primary ruler’. Now this title had its own problems. In fact, if this title continued, the title of the second king would become ‘middle’ and the title of the third ruler would become ‘last ruler’. To solve this problem, titles based on images of Lord Buddha began to be given. The matter did not end there and several experiments were carried out to organize the royal list. Historians have called King Nang Klao as ‘Ratchakan Thi Sam’ i.e. ‘The Third Ruler’. After this the experiment started.
Currently, Rama Dasam is the king of Thailand
King Vajiravudh referred to himself as ‘Rama VI’ in English. This was combined with the use of Ratchakan, but this title, derived from ‘Hindi-English’, became the tradition for Thai kings. Currently the King of Thailand is titled ‘Ram Dasam’. Ram Dasham is famous as ‘Football Prince’ in Thailand. He is also known for organizing major events related to cycling. After the death of Rama IX or Bhumibol Adulyadej, Maha Vajiralongkorn or Rama X has been the King of Thailand since 2016. His coronation took place in 2019. In the year 2020, his net worth was estimated to be $43 billion. With so much wealth, he is considered to be one of the richest rulers in the world.
Ramayana is the national book of Thailand
You will find one surprise after another in Thailand. Ramayana is the national scripture there. In Thailand it is called Ram Kien. It means Rama-kirti, based on Valmiki Ramayana. It has the status of Thai Ramayana. It is believed that Rama Kien was rewritten by King Rama I in the 18th century. Thotskan, the main villain of Ram Kien, resembles Ravana of the Valmiki Ramayana. Rama’s ideals are seen in Phara Ram, the hero of Ram Kien. Dramas and puppet shows based on Ram Kien are performed regularly in Thailand. The main characters of Rama Kien are Rama (Rama), Lak (Lakshmana), Thotskan (Ravana), Pali (Bali), Sukrip (Sugriva), Onkot (Angad), Khompoon (Jambavan), and Bipek (Vibhishana).
Garuda is the national symbol
In this South East Asian country, you see Hindu deities and symbols everywhere. The national symbol of Thailand is Garuda. In Hindu mythology, Garuda is considered the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Garuda is said to be half bird and half human. His body is like a human, but his face is like a bird and he has wings. Honoring this spirit, Thailand’s national symbol is Garuda. There is also a statue of Garuda in front of the Thai Parliament.
Ayodhya is also in Thailand
The city of Ayutthaya in Thailand is considered to be Ayodhya. Along with this, the kings of Ayutthaya have been given the title of Ramtibodhi meaning Lord Rama. Ayodhya is mentioned as the capital of Lord Rama in Valmiki Ramayana. In Thailand, Ayutthaya is considered the Ayodhya of the Ramayana. Ayutthaya has been the capital of Siamese dynasty rulers since 1351 AD. Let us tell you that the remains of Thai Ayodhya have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Even the name of the airport in the capital Bangkok will surprise you. Its name is Swarnbhumi Airport. The respect given to Hinduism in Thailand will fill you with pride.