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พระราหู
or "PHRA RAHU" is the mythical god of darkness.
Offering to God Rahu
Worshippers offer to God Rahu eight black items. Among them, there are black chicken,
black jelly, black liquor, black rice and black pudding.
The items are already prepared by the temple and are
sold at 288 baht per set.
Black flowers
Visitors pay homage to Rahu. They offer black flowers, black joss sticks, black candles
and black cloth with magic figures.
The symbol of Rahu is the number 8, a powerful figure
believed to be the origin of all earthly things.
Black joss sticks
Black joss sticks are very popular offerings to God Rahu.
In year 1997, the Prime
Minister Chavalit's wife, Khunying Phankrua Yongchaiyudh, was to seek help from Rahu,
the mythical god of darkness, to keep her husband's coalition government
in one piece. Seeking the blessing of Rahu to repel bad luck is a common practice.
God Rahu
To ward off bad luck associated with Rahu's attempts to devour the sun, believers
make offerings of black objects.
Many bees are flying around the sweet and black food.
God Rahu
Black is the color of Rahu, the God of Darkness.
Rahu is said to swallow from time to time
his two brothers, the moon and the sun, and throw them out again. It is the popular
explanation for eclipses.
God Rahu
In year 1997, Wat Srisa Thong in Nakhon Pathom
took part in a ceremony seeking blessings from Rahu, god of darkness.
The ceremony was important to Rahu followers because of the total lunar eclipse.
Followers believe the eclipse was caused by Rahu's shadow over the full moon.
In year 1997, many Thai people believed
that the economic crisis has been caused by Rahu, the God of Darkness.
God Rahu
Rahu's devotees in Thailand are buying up a range of such objects,
including black chickens, black liquor, black rice and black eggs.
Wat Srisa Thong entranceWat Srisa Thong entrance
Wat Srisa Thong entrance
Wat Srisa Thong's entrance is a big massive gate. The temple is still one kilometer
after the entrance.
Dancers
As as offering to Rahu, some devotees invite dancers to
perform in front of Rahu's statue.
Rahu covers the sun and the moon with his darkness, then it
becomes so dark that the people became unable even to identify their places.
Black offerings
Followers of Rahu offer eight black objects, including a black chicken,
joss sticks and candles.
God Rahu
Lucky objects are used to ward off evil omens during a solar eclipse in Thailand. Since black is
the color of Rahu, black chicken, black liquor, black beans, black eggs,
black rice and black moss sticks are thought to be lucky.
Wat Srisa Thong - วัดศรีษะทอง
Some Thai people believe that bad luck always comes with an eclipse, so
major changes and big losses are inevitable. Visits to Wat Srisa Thong then
become more popular before such event.
Wat Srisa Thong - วัดศรีษะทอง
When an eclipse hits, some people are clashing gongs and exploding firecrackers to frighten
away the God Rahu.
God Rahu
According to animist beliefs, an eclipse takes place when the angry God
Rahu tries to swallow the sun. The only way to prevent disaster is to scare Rahu away
or placate him with offerings.
Wat Srisa Thong - วัดศรีษะทอง
Wat Srisa Thong is most popular with Rahu followers because it
has a giant statue of Rahu, the biggest in Thailand.
God Rahu
In year 1997, the wife of Thailand's prime minister,
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, announced her intention to make an offering to the god Rahu in the belief
that it would preserve the life of her husband's government. According to a local astrologer,
she would offer eight black foods, including black chickens, black beans and Coca-Cola.
God Rahu
God Rahu representations can be seen in many Buddhist temples
around Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม).
God Rahu
God Rahu representations can be seen in many Buddhist temples
even in Thai temples located in Hong Kong!
