Thursday May 22, 2008
Clues point to black magic at Phanom Rung
SUPACHAI PIRAGSA & PRASIT TANGPRASERT
A black magic ritual is now believed to be behind the vandalism of an ancient statue at the historic Phanom Rung stone temple ruins in Buri Ram province. Krissana Suktungkha, superintendent of Chalerm Phrakiat district police, said investigators were concentrating on what appear to be ritualistic offerings left at the site.
A glass of water and three cigarettes were found nearby on the stairs to the ancient temple.
This kind of offering was used in Khmer-style black magic rituals, Pol Col Krissana said.
Police have been instructed to keep a close watch on those known to follow these rituals in Buri Ram and neighbouring Surin province, which have large ethnic Khmer populations.
It was possible that those who damaged the statues were hired by a group of people to destroy what they believed to harbour supernatural power, he said.
Police have offered a cash reward of 50,000 baht to anyone who gives information leading to the arrest of those who desecrated the ancient site.
The heads of eleven Nagas, mythical serpent-like animals, at the stairs to the ancient temple were broken off by the vandals.
The statue of the sacred cow of the Hindu god Shiva, two statues of Singha, a mythical lion-like beast, and the statue of the guardian deity at the entrance were damaged.
The Shiva Linga stone, a symbol of Shiva in the centre of the temple, was also moved off its plinth.
The chief of Phanom Rung Historical Park, Dusit Thummakorn, said a meeting would be called to discuss repairs.
Fine arts authorities have ordered officials in charge of ancient ruins in Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin and Chaiyaphum provinces to increase security patrols.
Sakchai Pojnanwanit, director of the 12th Fine Arts Office in Nakhon Ratchasima, said patrols would be made around the clock.
Repairs to the damaged statues at Phanom Rung would take only about a month, Mr Sakchai said.
Only two of the 11 damaged Nagas were originals. The others were replicas.
The Fine Arts Department's office of traditional arts will supervise the work.
Thepmontri Limpapayom, a historian, confirmed that most of the damaged statues at Phanom Rung were replicas. Any substances taken from these statues had no sacred power and could not be used as a raw material for making amulets, he said.
One theory is that the damage was caused by amulet makers in search of objects with magical powers to incorporate in the talismans they sell.
Mr Thepmontri said the authorities should not to allow anyone to use the temple ruins as a site for performing rituals.
Buri Ram politician Newin Chidchob was earlier allowed to take Brahmin priests to the Phanom Rung ruins to perform a ritual to ward off bad luck for a powerful politician, the historian said.
Clues point to black magic at Phanom Rung
SUPACHAI PIRAGSA & PRASIT TANGPRASERT
A black magic ritual is now believed to be behind the vandalism of an ancient statue at the historic Phanom Rung stone temple ruins in Buri Ram province. Krissana Suktungkha, superintendent of Chalerm Phrakiat district police, said investigators were concentrating on what appear to be ritualistic offerings left at the site.
A glass of water and three cigarettes were found nearby on the stairs to the ancient temple.
This kind of offering was used in Khmer-style black magic rituals, Pol Col Krissana said.
Police have been instructed to keep a close watch on those known to follow these rituals in Buri Ram and neighbouring Surin province, which have large ethnic Khmer populations.
It was possible that those who damaged the statues were hired by a group of people to destroy what they believed to harbour supernatural power, he said.
Police have offered a cash reward of 50,000 baht to anyone who gives information leading to the arrest of those who desecrated the ancient site.
The heads of eleven Nagas, mythical serpent-like animals, at the stairs to the ancient temple were broken off by the vandals.
The statue of the sacred cow of the Hindu god Shiva, two statues of Singha, a mythical lion-like beast, and the statue of the guardian deity at the entrance were damaged.
The Shiva Linga stone, a symbol of Shiva in the centre of the temple, was also moved off its plinth.
The chief of Phanom Rung Historical Park, Dusit Thummakorn, said a meeting would be called to discuss repairs.
Fine arts authorities have ordered officials in charge of ancient ruins in Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin and Chaiyaphum provinces to increase security patrols.
Sakchai Pojnanwanit, director of the 12th Fine Arts Office in Nakhon Ratchasima, said patrols would be made around the clock.
Repairs to the damaged statues at Phanom Rung would take only about a month, Mr Sakchai said.
Only two of the 11 damaged Nagas were originals. The others were replicas.
The Fine Arts Department's office of traditional arts will supervise the work.
Thepmontri Limpapayom, a historian, confirmed that most of the damaged statues at Phanom Rung were replicas. Any substances taken from these statues had no sacred power and could not be used as a raw material for making amulets, he said.
One theory is that the damage was caused by amulet makers in search of objects with magical powers to incorporate in the talismans they sell.
Mr Thepmontri said the authorities should not to allow anyone to use the temple ruins as a site for performing rituals.
Buri Ram politician Newin Chidchob was earlier allowed to take Brahmin priests to the Phanom Rung ruins to perform a ritual to ward off bad luck for a powerful politician, the historian said.
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