A Sacred Journey: Water, Ram Mandir, and the Special Soil Connection Between Ayodhya and Ayutthaya, 3500 km Apart
Recently, news came on Ram Temple Ayodhya that it got special soil from Thailand. Thailand sent the special soil to Ayodhya for the inauguration of the Ram temple in January 2024. This soil is sent from Ayutthaya city, which was 3500 km away from Ayodhya.
When was the Ayutthaya founded?
Ayutthaya, Thailand, was founded in the 13th century. It is the Kingdom of Siam, the capital of the Kingdom of Siam, and the economic center. It is not the first time that something has been sent from Thailand to Ayodhya. It follows the gestures from past times when some water was sent from Thailand’s two rivers to Ayodhya Ram temple. This action stems from cultural ties between Thailand and India, which is a good way to handle it.
Strong ties between India and Thailand
The President of Thailand said that This has been made feasible by way of the initiative taken by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and with the assistance of Susheelkumar Saraff. According to Swami Vigyanananand, founder and international chairman of the World Hindu Foundation (WHF), “India and Thailand have strong cultural and historical ties.
He also said that various kings of Thailand are descendants of Lord Ram. Every king right here, too, has the identification of Ram of their name; that is an antique culture right here, he said. The capital of Thailand, Bangkok, is home to a wealthy Hindu cultural history, and we’ve determined 51 nations with the aim of witnessing the Lord Ram’s consecration at Ayodhya, said Swami Vigyanananand.
Swami Vigyanananand, leader organizer of the World Hindu Congress, stated that the rite can be telecast live in Bangkok, and Hindus from across the globe will converge at the event, engaging in kirtans, bhajans, puja, and recitation.
Ayutthaya’s reference to Lord Rama
A famous town in Thailand was referred to as Ayutthaya, whose kings bore the title of ‘Ramatibodhi’ (“Lord Rama”). Ayutthaya has been related to the context wherein Ayodhya is referred to as the capital of Lord Rama in the Ramayana. Ayutthaya, which became the capital of the Siamese rulers in 1351 AD, was looted and almost completely destroyed by using the Burmese forces in 1767.
The Thai religious textual content called Ramkeen has equal popularity as the Thai Ramayana. Ramanujan, who wrote the ebook ‘300 Ramayana’, has compared it to Ramkeenith Valmiki’s Ramayana. It is assumed to have been composed afresh by King Rama I within the 18th century, and the principal villain in this ebook, Thotsakan, is like the Lankan king Ravana of the Hindu textual content. The ideal of Ram is depicted inside the hero of this ebook, Phra Ram.
Conclusion
For the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January 2024, Thailand sent special soil. The cultural similarities between India and Thailand are not quite there. Kartik Purnima and Dev Diwali are celebrated in India; similarly, in Thailand, the ‘Loy Krathong’ competition is widely known because of the festival of lights that corresponds to India’s Diwali. It is a main festival in Thailand, which is widely known with enthusiasm. During this time, idols of Lord Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, and Indra were installed at prominent places for humans to worship.
