THUNG LUM PHLI |
Thung Lum Phli (ลุ่มพลี) or "Field of Religious Sacrifice" was the area with as northern border the southern stretch of the loop in the Lopburi River; on the east a stretch of the Lopburi River until the confluence with Khlong Sra Bua; on the south Thung Khwan and on the west, Khlong Maha Nak. Whether or not, the area within the loop of the old Lopburi River, should be included as being part of Lum Phli is not clear. The name of Lum Phli could have been derived from the fact that the area was used for a royal ceremony known as "Phra Ratcha Phithi Tat Mai Khom Nam" or the rites of "Cutting the Wood which corresponds with the Enemy’s Name" prior going into battle. ลุ่ม stands for a low-lying area while พลี can be translated as tribute, worship, oblation or propitiatory offering. We find in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, Lum Phli mentioned multiple times as being the area where the above mentioned ceremony was held.
Phraya Sombati Parihar gives the following explanation of the rites of Cutting the Wood and Cursing the Enemy’s Name. Phraratcha, you know, is equivalent to the Burmese Daw, Phithi means ceremony, Tat means to cut, Mai means wood, Khom means to press down or subdue, and Nam means name. According to ancient principles and methods of warfare, before an army leaves the capital of a kingdom to meet the enemy's forces, a ceremony has to be performed to ensure success, and this ceremony is what is known as "Phithi Tat Mai Khom Nam," i.e. "Cutting the wood which corresponds with the name of the enemy." In the first place a temporary shed has to be erected with six posts having a sort of verandah around it. The shed is surrounded by a bamboo lattice (Burmese: Rajamdat), having open spaces in the form of a lozenge. Along the lattice are fixed paper umbrellas with three, five, or seven tiers (c.f. Burmese: Hti). Young banana stems and sugarcane stalks are planted at some distance apart from each other. Then a person who is an adept in magic squares, Pali letters, and numerical figures, as well as in incantations, collects the earth from under three bridges, three ferry landing places, and three graveyards. The earth thus collected is moistened and made into the likeness of the enemy. The name of the enemy is written on a piece of paper, the adept then writes over the name his magic squares which will have a destructive effect on the enemy. This paper is then inserted in the chest of the earthen figure which must be dressed in the customary dress of the enemy. Young banana stems, and the stem of a tree the name of which corresponds with the name of the enemy, are brought and kept in the shed on three successive days, and every night on those days incantations are pronounced or intoned over them. After this the earthen figure is inserted into the banana stem which is then tied round in three places with consecrated cotton thread. A pit is dug, and the banana stem and the stem of the tree which corresponds with the name of the enemy are planted together in this pit. Having prepared thus, about 3 p.m., court Brahmans (Burmese: punna) enter the shed, put down a jar of water used for consecration or incantation, and wind cotton threads used for the same purpose round the combined banana and tree stems. The Brahmans then invoke celestial beings such as Shiva, Krishna, Ganesha and so on, to come from their celestial abodes to be adored and to lend their help in the ceremony. Then when the auspicious moment is near, the king deputes some officials, usually the commanders of the expeditionary force, to perform the ceremony in his stead. The king hands over to his deputies His Majesty's finger-ring set with nine gems, and royal swords. His Majesty's deputies proceed to the shed and at the auspicious moment draw the royal swords from their scabbards, take three slow, deliberate steps forward, and cut the stems of the banana tree and the tree corresponding with the name of the enemy three times. In so doing, they should take care that the swords cut the earthen figure and the name of the enemy. They then stamp three times on the fallen part of the banana stem and the tree corresponding with the name of the enemy. As soon as they have done as described, they should turn round and return to the palace without looking back at all. They then return the ring and swords to the king's attendants, enter into the king's presence, and inform him saying, "May it please Your Majesty in going to subdue the enemy, we have been entirely successful as desired by Your Majesty." Thus ends the ceremony. [6] Lum Phli Field was used as a concentration area for troops in case of war but figured often also as a battle field. In this area, Siamese defensive troops as foreign attacking armies, set up their stockades as derived from the Royal Chronicles.
Following were the temples in alphabetical order, located in this area: Wat Bua (mound), Wat Dokmai (vanished), Wat Jong Krom (restored ruin), Wat Phraya Maen (restored ruin), Wat Prasat (ruin), Wat Si Liam (restored ruin), Wat Tha Khlong (active monastery) and Wat Tum (active monastery). References: [1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 123 / Source: Luang Prasoet - Hongsawadi Sends An Army to Siam. [2] Ibid - page 155 - Resumed Warfare With Hongsawadi, 1594-1596. [3] Ibid - page 168 - Ayutthaya Army Marches Against Toungoo. [4] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 98-9 / Source: British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph. - The Main Ayutthaya Army Heads North. [5] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 141 / Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph - War With Hongsawadi Resumes. [6] Our Wars with the Burmese - Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (re-edited 2001) - White Lotus, Bangkok - Notes page 363/364 (Integrally with exception of the Burmese translations of some words). [7] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 28 / Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph - War With Burma, Early 1549. [8] Ibid - page 32 - War With Hongsawadi, 1563-1564. [9] Ibid - page 34 - Further Battles. [10] Ibid - page 46-7 - The Hongsawadi Army Invests Ayutthaya. [11] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 59 / Source: Luang Prasoet - The Death of King Chakkraphat. [12] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 60 / Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph - The Hongsawadi Armies Besiege Ayutthaya. [13] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 102 / Source: Luang Prasoet - The Attack of Hongsawadi, 1585. [14] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 105 / Source: British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph - The Army of Ayutthaya Moves North. [15] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 105 / Source: Phan Canthanumat - The Army of Ayutthaya Moves North. [16] Ibid - page 106 - The Army of Ayutthaya Moves North. [17] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 114 / Source: Luang Prasoet - Further Conflict, 1586 and 1587. [18] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 120 / Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph - Skirmishes Outside Ayutthaya. |
Text by Tricky Vandenberg - September 2012 |