The story of Ram: What is the connection between Ayodhya and Thailand's Ayutthaya?

Ayodhya is gearing up for the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple. Along with India, Thailand’s Ayutthaya, named after Ayodhya, is also preparing to join the celebrations. Separated by geographical boundaries, the two towns are united not just in name but also in faith with the religious fervour in the home of Ram finding echo 3,500 kilometre away in a foreign land. Here’s how both cities are connected: The Ayodhya of Thailand The ancient city of Ayutthaya, which is 70 kilometres north of Bangkok and is tucked away along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites because of its dynamic and rich cultural past. Founded in 1350, the ancient city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (official name) served as the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. Siamese King U Thong, also known as King Ramathibodhi, founded it. From the 14th to the 18th century, it was a thriving city for global trade and diplomacy, ranking among the largest and most cosmopolitan in the world.

Went on a trip from #Bangkok to #Ayutthaya today. The ruins of the ancient capital are hauntingly beautiful. #Thailand pic.twitter.com/f5MM1E19wF

— nrq (@herrkuhn) January 18, 2024

In 1767, the Burmese army attacked and destroyed the city, setting it on fire and driving its residents out. It is still an archaeological site even though it was never reconstructed in the same spot. The remnants of its tall prang (reliquary towers) and massive Buddhist monasteries provide insight into the grandeur and magnificence of the city in the past. Champat Rai, general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said Ayutthaya is the Ayodhya of Thailand. The Ramayana connection Ayutthaya is named after Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, according to Swami Vigyanand, founder and global chairman of the World Hindu Foundation (WHF), creating a link between Hinduism and the Ramayana. “King Ramathibodi, the first ruler of Ayutthaya, named the city, showcasing the influence of the Ramayana on the region’s culture. Subsequent kings, including those of the Chakri dynasty, adopted the name Rama, further solidifying the connection to Lord Ram,” he told PTI. He added, “What makes Ayutthaya fascinating is the fact that here we can see that the Ramayana, which was introduced to Southeast Asia by Buddhist missionaries, was adapted into the Thai version known as Ramakien. This happened during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. This is how we see the impact of Rama’s life on Thai culture.” The Thai Ramakien has been translated into Sanskrit by renowned Sanskrit scholar and Padma Bhushan recipient Satya Vrat Shastri. “The Ramakien does not necessarily follow the Valmiki-Ramayana or other versions of the Indian Rama story. It takes an independent line in a number of cases by introducing new episodes not figuring in the former,” Shastri had said in the description of his book “Ramayana in South East Asia.” According to Suresh Pal Giri, an Indian professor in Thailand, when Burmese soldiers overran this city in the 18th century, a new king rose. “He called himself Rama I, established the city now known as Bangkok, wrote the epic Ramakien, which is Ramayana in the local language, making it the national epic, and got it painted as murals on the walls of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, patronised by the royal family, it is believed. “Though he was a Buddhist, the king established his royal credentials by identifying himself with Lord Ram, who was as much a hero for Buddhists of Southeast Asia as he was for the Hindus of South Asia,” he said. Common festivals and cultural practices The connection between the two countries is not just limited to Lord Ram and Ayodhya but is also reflected in the festivals and cultural practices. Thailand celebrates Loy Krathong, popularly known as the “festival of lights,” on the same day as India celebrates Kartik Poornima and Dev Deepawali. Idols of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, and Indra are placed at significant locations, where devotees offer their prayers. There are also enormous sculptures at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport that represent “Samudra manthana,” as described in the Vishnu Purana. Ram Mandir celebrations in Thailand Besides Ayodhya, Ayuthhaya and other Hindu temples in Thailand are also gearing up for grand “pran pratishtha” ceremony on 22 January. According to a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member from Bangkok, huge screens are being put up in Hindu temples in Ayutthaya and other cities in Thailand for the live telecast of the grand ceremony. “Diyas” or earthen lamps will be lit at all the temples and the enactment of the epic Ramayana will also take place while people will sing Ram bhajans on the day, she said. “We have put up big screens where the devotees will see the consecration ceremony live. We have made arrangements for lighting diyas and prasad will also be distributed,” the VHP leader said. The Ayodhya temple trust has also received soil from Ayutthaya and water from Thailand’s three rivers, including Chao Phraya, Lop Buri and Pa Sak for the Ram temple. The first phase of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is nearing completion and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in its consecration ceremony on that day. The Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict in 2019, settling a temple-mosque dispute that dated back more than a century. The court backed the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for building a mosque. With inputs from PTI