Candi
The name indicating the religious monuments in Indonesia. Some scholars consider this word as having the same meaning as chedi but
others believe that it is derived from the word Candi, the Goddess of Death.

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Catty
(Eng.)
English word for the traditional Chinese unit of weight called "jin" in Mandarin Chinese or "gan" in Cantonese language, used across East
Asia. The English word "catty" originated from the Malay word "kati". A "catty" was equal to 600 gram in Siam called "Chung". 100 catties
equals a "picul".
Chaddanta
A king of elephants, who, according to Siamese legends, lives in a golden palace on the shores of the Himalayan lake Chatthan, attended by
eighty thousand ordinary elephants. Also called Chattban.

[Reference:  The Weel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - page 305.]
Chakangrao
Chakangrao was geographically located in the lower north on the east bank of the Ping River. Chakangrao was built around 1157 by the
Cambodians as a military city. In the Sukhothai period, King Li Thai moved the political and administrative centre to Nakhon Chum on the
west bank of the Ping River. After the death of King Li Thai in 1371, Chakangroa became again the centre. Chakangrao had the same town
planning concept as the Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai, with separate zones for religious sites both within and outside of town limits.
Structures are usually large and made of laterite. Ancient sites within city walls include: City Walls and old fortifications mark the boundary
of the rectangular town area, measuring 300-700 metre wide and 2,200 metre long. King Boromracha I (r. 1370-1388) combined the two
cities of Chakangrao and Nakhon Chum and called it Khampaeng Phet. The name of Kamphaeng Phet (Diamond Wall) was indicated for the
first time in 1397 on a stone inscription.
Chakrawan
See Jakrawan.
Cham art
The art of the Chams, an Indonesian or Malaysian race that founded an Indianized kingdom of Champa in the center of present-day Vietnam.
A few still live in southern Vietnam today.

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Chamara
Chowrie, or mosquito-swish. This useful article is one of the royal insignia - the long hair in that case being properly the tail of the Thibetan
yak.

[Ref: The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - Trubner & Co, London - page 307.]
Chang
(Th.)
Traditional Thai unit of weight equal to 1.2 Kg or 20 Tamleung.
Chao Fa
(Th.)
Chao Fa (lit. Lord of the Sky) was the highest rank of prince, usually reserved for children of a king born to his chief queen(s).

[Ref: In the King's Trail - Remco Raben and Dhiravat Na Pombejra (1997) - page 37]
Chat
(Th.)
[Thai pronunciation of chatta (P.); chatra (Skt.)]: Honorific umbrella or royal multi-tiered parasol. (See Chatravali)

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Chatravali
(Skt.)
[chattavali (P.); chattrawali (Th.)]: The slender pinnacle formed by many superimposed flat rings developed from the one-tier honorific
umbrella fixed on the harmika which surmounts the stupa dome of the Ancient Indian Art. From this stylized chatravali which was
composed of many evenly-spaced superimposed flat rings tapering to a point, has evolved a tall connected, ringed finial. These connected
flat rings are closely similar to the middle part of a kind of Thai musical instrument named pi chanai. That is why this element of the Thai
chedi is generally called plong chanai.

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Chattban
A king of elephants, who, according to Siamese legends, lives in a golden palace on the shores of the Himalayan lake Chatthan, attended by
eighty thousand ordinary elephants. Also called Chaddanta.

[Ref:  The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - Trubner & Co, London - page 305.]
Chatthan
One of the seven great lakes of half-mythical Himaphan - the Buddhist fairyland and in which grow the red-blue rose and white lotuses.

[Ref: The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - page 296.]
Chatumaharachit
Heaven which is level with the summit of Yukhunthon, the circular range next to Mount Meru, and  in which dwell the four guardians of the
world.

[Ref: The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - Trubner & Co, London - page 308.]
Chedi
(Th.)
Chedi [Thai pronunciation of cetiya (P.); caitya (Skt.)]: A kind of stupa known as "pagoda" by Westerners. As generally called by the Thais,
the word "chedi" refers to the stupa with a bell-shaped anda placed on a pedestal. On top of the anda is fixed the harmika which is then
surmounted by the chatravali.

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Chedi phoem mum
(Th.)
The redented added-angled chedi; the type of stua from which "chedi yo mum" (the rabbeted-angled chedi) evolves. This kind of stupa is
square with odd-numbered redents on the angles. The redented added angles are formed by extending outwards each of the square sides but
making the additions shorter than the original square plan. Therefore, each corner of the original square becomes the main angle flanked by
smaller angles of the extended sides. This type of chedi is usually characterized by the main body in which is housed a Buddha image or
relies of the deceased royal personages. The anda and harmika are also executed in the same manner as the main body. Only the chatravali is
similar to that of the stupa in a circular plan. (See also chedi yo mum).

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Chedi song khruang
(Th.)
The stupa ornamented with stucco decorative motifs.

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Chedi yo mum
(Th.)
The rabbeted-angled chedi; the stupa with a square plan and the same number of rabbets on each angle. That is to say, if one angle is
composed of three rabbets, the other three angles must be cut into three rabbets as well. When the rabbets of the four angles are counted,
this kind of stupa is thus called "twelve-rabbeted-angled chedi" or "chedi yo mum mai, sip song". However, how many rabbets were
appropriate for each structure depends on the design and taste of the architects of each period. In addition, the anda, which is the most
important part of the chedi, is also rabbeted in the same manner as is the base. Also, the harmika is usually rabbeted whereas the uppermost
part, the plong chanai pinnacle, still remains the same as that of the stupa in a circular plan. (See also chedi phoem mum)

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Cho fa
(Th.)
Ridge-end finial, the wooden finial attached to the top corners of the roof of a Thai monastery building, usually the ubosot or Viharn.

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Chotmaihet
(Th.)
Chotmaihet or kotmaihet is an account or report, used for short histories of particular events, usually wars.

[Reference: The Rise of Ayudhya - Charnvit Kasetsiri (1976) - page 1.]
Chula Sakarat
(Th.)
A new Burmese era was established by King Popa Saw Yahan (r. 613/620 - 640), a ruler who usurped the throne of Pagan in 620 Anno
Domini (AD). He improved the administration and made arrangements for the reformation of the Burmese calendar. The new Burmese era
was possibly coinciding with the beginning of the Pyu Vikrama dynasty.

King Popa Saw Yahan introduced the abbreviated method or Makaranta reckoning and modified the rules of Thuriatheidanta reckoning (the
solar system, the Surya Siddhanta of the Hindus, adapted by King Thamondari in 78 AD) by reducing the figures unto their lowest termd in
639 AD.

The Makaranta reckoning commenced thus in 639 AD, the first year of such Era being the year 1. The Burmese eras and years like the
Christian centuries and years are reckoned as "current" and not "expired". The calendar is reckoned from the Burmese First point of Aries
beginning on Saturday 21 March 639 AD. (at present the era commenced on 22 March due to differences in (solar) time).

The Burmese year is luni-solar, having a solar and lunar division. The solar year commences wen the Sun enters Aries, which is at present
Mid-April. The Lunar year is that used in the calendar and contains 12 Lunar months and every second or third year an extra month was
intercalculated (leap year) in a period of 19 years.

The Burmese era was introduced into Siam after the fist fall of Ayutthaya in 1569 during the reign of King Maha Thammaracha, to replace
the old Maha Sakarat era. Ayutthaya was then a vasal state of Burma, having lost the war. The Burmese era became known in Siam by the
name Chula Sakarat (CS) or the "Little Era" and was used until 1887. The name "Little Era" is a Siamese translation from the Pali word cula
"little" and the Sanskrit words "saka" and "raja", thus "royal era".

To calculate the Chula Sakarat year from the Christian Era (AD), substract 638. If the Minor era date falls between 01 January and mid-April
deduct 639.

[Ref: The Burmese Calendar - J.C. Clancy in The Observatory, Vol. 29, p. 54-59 (1906).]
Chung
See Catty
Civara
(P., Skt.)
The yellow robe of a Buddhist monk or novice; any of the three garments of the monk (ticivara) : antaravasaka or the undergarment,
uttarasanga or the upper garment and sanghati or the outer garment. For the Thais, civara usually refers to the upper or inner robes. (See
also sanghati)

[Ref: An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand - Sonthiwan Intralib (1991).]
Corazema
Ancient name for Nakhon Ratchasima.
Cowrie
(Eng)
(Th: bia) There was a lively trade in these white shells in South and Southeast Asia, being widely used as currency for small daily
transactions. Consequently they were much wanted by the Ayutthaya court. Many cowrie shells were imported by the Dutch East India
Company, mostly from the Maldives, but also from the waters around Kalimantan.

[Ref: In the King's Trail - Remco Raben & Dhiravat na Pombejra (1997) - Page 40]
   
C