On the grounds of Sanam Luang this Thursday, dancers will dance, puppeteers will weave their magic and singers will croon sad songs. This is the time of mourning, but there is a centuries-old tradition of the royal court to host festivities on the occasion of a royal funeral. A wide range of majestic performances will grace the stages from 6pm on the royal cremation day until early the following morning.
Video by Jetjaras Na Ranong and Karnjana Karnjanatawe
An ancient tradition
"Royal cremations are important occasions. Entertainment for royal funerals has been a tradition since the Ayutthaya period," Culture Minister Veera Rojpojchanarat said. "The festivity is organised for the people. It also marks the end of the mourning period and to celebrate the power and charisma of a monarch."
The first time that funerary entertainment was held in the Rattanakosin period was for the royal funeral of King Rama I's father Somdet Phra Pathom Borommahachanok in 1796. The shows consisted of khon (masked dance), lakhon (plays), hoon (puppetry), nang (shadow puppetry), Chinese operas, Mon ram (Mon dances), tai luad (wire walking), acrobatic shows and more. (See page 8 for a related story)
A masked dance performance called khon chak rok featuring the battle scene between the army led by Phra Ram and that led by Thotsakan and his 10 sons was part of three days and three nights of festivity at the 1796 royal cremation, according to the Krung Rattanakosin Royal Chronicle and Klong Chalerm Phrakiat Phrabart Somdet Phra Phutthayodfa Chulalok.
"The entertainment for the royal cremation included a big show of khon chak rok by the Grand Palace troupe and Front Palace troupe who performed together outdoors. In the scene of Thotsakan, Sib Khun and Sib Rot's army marching, the Grand Place troupe played Phra Ram's army and the Front Palace troupe played Thotsakan's. They fought in front of the royal pavilion at Sanam Luang," reads the chronicle.
During the reign of King Rama IX, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn had classical music called prakhom yumyam and other forms of entertainment revived for the royal funeral of the Princess Mother in 1996. The princess wished to conserve the royal tradition and ensure the atmosphere was not so quiet as during the royal cremation of Queen Rambhai Barni of King Rama VII in 1985.
On March 11, 1996, during the royal cremation of the Princess Mother, three types of entertainment -- shadow puppets, khon na jor, stage play lakorn nok, and hoon krabok puppetry -- were performed on three stages.
Hoon krabok, a kind of puppetry, was performed for a royal funeral for the first time.
In 2008, for the royal cremation of the late HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, King Bhumibol's elder sister, the same three kinds of entertainment were staged, and they were complemented by hoon lakhon lek featuring Kuramavatarn, with the music by a big band and a symphony orchestra.
In 2012 on the day of the royal cremation for the late HRH Princess Bejratana Rajasuda, King Rama VI's only daughter, nang yai and khon were performed on the main stage, hoon krabok, lakhon, and lakhon nok featuring Sangthong on the second stage. A programme of Western music was on the third stage.
The first stage
According to the culture minister, entertainment during the royal cremation of King Bhumibol will be performed throughout Thursday night on three stages in the northern part of Sanam Luang.
The first stage will showcase nang yai, the shadow puppet show, and a khon masked dance depicting epic episodes from Ramakien, from the Reincarnation of God Narai (Vishnu) to the Victory of Rama over Thotsakan.
Senior artists of the Fine Arts Department's Office of Performing Arts and Bunditpatanasilpa Institute will perform nang yai boek na phra and the overture of nang yai featuring the Capturing Monkeys At Dusk episode.
Performers sent by the Royal Khon Performance Committee under Her Majesty Queen Sirikit will perform khon na jor and khon chak rok (The Incarnation of Rama, The Abduction of Sida and Phra Ram, and The Allegiance of Pipek). Costumes and accessories were made by craftsmen at the Support Arts and Crafts Centre nationwide.
A total of 1,120 performers from the Royal Khon Performance Committee under Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and the Office of Performing Arts will bring their best to the audience.
The second stage
The second stage presents a lakhon nai play featuring stories from the classic literature I-nao, especially the I-nao Cutting Flowers and I-nao Drawing a Dagger episodes, according to royal tradition. This stage will also bring the audience the plays Phra Maha Janaka and Manora, hoon luang show, a lost art, the Hanuman Entering Nang Wannarin's Chamber episode, a hoon krabok show featuring Phra Arphai Manee, as well as an overture dance Ram Kingmai Ngoen Kingmai Thong.
Phra Maha Janaka was a story penned by King Bhumibol, while the play Manora was adapted from the traditional southern dance norah by the Fine Arts Department in 1955 to match the ballet Manora, or Kinari Suite, written by the king. A total of 422 performers will be presented on this stage.
The Third Stage
The third stage is a more contemporary programme, with singers delivering King Bhumibol's royal compositions and songs in honour of the king as well as the ballet Manora -- the only ballet music the late king composed. Performers will come from the Fine Arts Department, Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Armed Forces, the police, the Public Relations Department, Chulalongkorn University and other agencies as well as Au Sau Friday Band, which was founded by King Bhumibol. A total of 942 musicians, singers and performers will be on the stage.
"Not only artists of the Fine Arts Department but also other artists, including those of the armed forces, and the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music as well as local artists, will perform to express their gratitude towards King Rama IX who was the 'Great Artist'. The shows start at 6pm and run until 6am totalling 12 hours and pause during the royal ceremony. All the performances are interesting and amazing," the minister added.
More importantly, a khon na fai masked dance featuring the Phra Ram Crossing the Ocean and Army Marching episodes of Ramakien and a special tribute episode will be performed in front of the royal crematorium.
"The khon na fai performance is an important show in remembrance of King Rama IX's kindness. In particular, the Yok Rop (Army Marching) episode was regularly chosen by King Rama IX for the Fine Arts Deparment to perform at welcome receptions for his royal guests.
"The king also suggested the department improve the performance to ensure its beauty and harmony. To express our gratitude, more than 300 performers, musicians and dubbers will perform this episode," Fine Arts Department director-general Anandha Chuchoti noted.
According to him, other interesting performances are khon chak rok, an old tradition to pay respects to deceased royals, and the Conquering Thotsakan episode of Ramakien as well as khon na jor.
"All the performances will be broadcast worldwide. They will be comprehensive and beautiful and fit a great king," the culture minister remarked.
The performances at the royal cremation ceremony on Thursday will begin at 6pm and continue until 6am of the following morning, with pauses during ceremonies in the royal crematorium.
