HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana's "Phra Meru" (2)

HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana's "Phra Meru" (2)

The Thai word for the death of a monarch is sawannakhot, which means "return to heaven''. The deceased royal personage goes back to the Dawadungsa level of heaven, above Mount Meru, where he or she resided before being incarnated into the mortal world. It is a feature of Thai jareetpraphenee - a tradition that must always be observed without change - that an elaborate funeral pyre called Phra Merumas be built for a Royal Cremation.

The form of the Phra Merumas is a stylised representation of Mount Meru. It consists of a high building, a palace set in the middle of an elevated platform.The Phra Merumas is a temporary structure. After the royal personage has been sent to Dawadungsa it is demolished and not retained for future royal cremations. (Bangkok Post)

This building has been erected at Sanam Luang just in order to serve for the cremation of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana (6 May 1923 – 2 January 2008) the elder sister of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX).

Nikon D3, AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G ED Exposure: 1/400 f 4.5 24mm ISO 400. 18.11.2008