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Chinese monk and writer who visited Chaiya in the late 7th century and testified to its religious and cultural sophistication. An image, symbol or statue of a sacred or religious object or subject, as well as the main votive image in a temple. Often confused with the Greek icon or ikon. Greek. 'Image description'. Science of the meaning of representation of persons, animals and objects as depicted in art, and the illustration of an object according to this science. In religious art every deity has his or her own iconography. Consequently every artist has to consider particular features and details when creating an image, such as anatomy, dress, pose, position of the legs (asana), and position of the hands (mudra), and certain attributes. A knowledgeable observer will then be able to recognize the deity by the presence of such features. Unfortunately, the sophisticated iconographic rules may not always be known or followed by all artists, could differ from place to place and at times even intermingle with popular beliefs. See also equestrian iconography. An open area to accommodate prayers during Muslim festivals, usually placed to the West of a town. A Thai name for Shiva and Ishana. Igor (อีก้อ) Thai name for Akha. Pronunciation Ikaw (Ikoh).
A tie dying technique in which fabrics are given patterns by tying off and colouring different parts of the same piece of cloth. See also matmi. Festival celebrated by the people from most northeastern provinces that border the Mae Khong River. It is intended as a tribute to the river goddess Phra Mae Khongkha for providing ample water, as well as in reverence of the naga or phayanaag. A procession of illuminated boats of approximately 12-meter long and in different shapes and forms takes place on the river, at night. Over fifty boats may take part in the procession and their original shapes may resemble the Garuda, a swan, a naga, etc. The festival takes place in the evening of the 15th day of the waxing moon of the 11th month. 1. Arabic. Worldly and spiritual leader in the Muslim theocratic system. 2. Arabic. Muslim religious leader and head of a mosque, the minister in ritual prayers. 3. Arabic. Term used by the Shiite Muslims to denote the descendants of the prophet, who they consider to be the true rulers of the Muslim community. See Rui Shi. Thai. Name of
one of the famous
Thai name for Indra. A legend and classical dance drama introduced to Thailand from Java around 1760 AD, near the end of the Ayutthaya period. 'Embodiment'. The personification or representation of a superior being, deity or spirit of a god in another form. In Hinduism usually applied to the guises or transformations of Vishnu. See also avatara. Name for an aromatic material which releases fragrant smoke when burned and of which several kinds exist, such as small cones, spiral incense coils which are found hanging from Chinese-style temple ceilings (fig.), small spiral coils against mosquitoes, cored and solid incense sticks, etc. In Thai called kreuang hom.
Name for both a small wooden stick coated with a tick layer of incense and a solid stick completely made of incense material, without a supporting core. There are many different colours (fig.) and they are made from a wide variety of materials, both natural and artificial. They are often used at religious ceremonies and spiritual purification rites, in places of worship of different religions. There are several kinds, such as very thick and large incense sticks used at special occasions like funerals (fig.), but the most commonly used incense sticks in Thailand are small joss sticks, cored incense for religious practice that consist of a light coloured incense on a usually purple or red wooden stick of about 20-30 cm long (fig.). Thai Theravada Buddhists habitually burn three incense sticks at a time, symbolic for the Triratana, the three objects of veneration for Buddhists, i.e. the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, whereas Thai-Chinese Buddhists belonging to the Hinayana sect tend to burn a whole bunch of incense sticks at the same time. It is believed that when offering food, the scent of the incense takes the food up to heaven as long as the joss stick burns. Once the incense is burned up the food is taken away, often for own consumption. Due to the large amount of incense sticks burning simultaneously, especially in Chinese temples and on auspicious days when large crowds of people gather to make merit, the incense sticks are discarded before they are burned up completely (fig.) and burned in gong de or joss ovens (fig.), in order to make place for newly arrived worshippers as well as to avoid suffocation in badly ventilated locations where breathing may become difficult due to high emissions of carbon monoxide and concentration of smoke. If they are not discarded they are sometimes left and piled up on top of each other to form a tower of sticks (fig.). Incense sticks are also used for other than religious purposes, e.g. against mosquitoes or to enhance the smell in ones home. Joss stick are usually burned in a special vessel called an incense burner (fig.), known in Thai as kratahng toob, or in a censer called takan (fig.) used when burning incense such as cones for one, whereas incense sticks are called toob. Before burning incense sticks the person offering them will first make a vow called athitahn, in which the hands are brought together above the head, making a wai.
Indra (इन्द्र) Sanskrit. 'Possessing a drop [of rain]', composed of indu, meaning 'drop' and ra, meaning 'possessing'. Vedic god of the heavens, weather and war, king of the gods and ruler of the Tavatimsa heaven, a place on the summit of the mythical Mt. Meru. He has a green complexion and may carry a thunderbolt, disc, elephant goad, sword, a trihsoon (trident) or an axe. In Buddhist iconography he is frequently depicted as an attendant of Buddha, along with Brahma (fig.). His mount is the elephant Erawan or Airavata (fig.). In Hindu cosmology he is the lokapala of the East. His status is considered equally important to that of Vishnu and Shiva. In Thailand called Phra Intra.
Indrachit (इन्द्रजीत, อินทรชิต) Sanskrit-Thai. 'Conqueror of Indra'. Son of Ravana (Totsakan) and one of the demons in the Ramakien, who succeeds in deceiving the monkey-general Hanuman by disguising himself as Indra. It is also Indrachit who shot the nagabaat or nagapasa arrow, the arrow that changed into a naga and tied Rama and Lakshmana down. However, when the Garuda, the archenemy of the nagas, accidentally flew by the naga from fear released Rama and Lakshmana. Indrani (इन्द्राणी) Sanskrit. Consort of the Hindu god Indra. A Poh Khun who liberated Thailand from the yoke of the Khmer. He died in 1268 AD and is the father of king Ramkamhaeng of Sukhothai. Also known by the title Phra Ruwang. In about the tenth century AD the capital of Champa. See mao bi. Ink made from soot, a black powdery deposit from smoke (lampblack), and binders. The powder is solidified into a hard stick for easier transport and preservation and can be made liquid by rubbing it with some water on an inkstone (fig.), until the right degree of density is achieved. It is used in Chinese calligraphy (fig.) which traditionally is written only with black ink. Chinese ink sticks are often decorated with golden reliefs. The quality of own rubbed ink from ink sticks is superior to that of ready to use bottled ink, as those use too much water to keep the ink from running dry. See also wen fang si bao (fig.).
See yan. General Thai name for the lagerstroemia or crape myrtle, a deciduous tree of which several species exist. They can grow up to ten meters and are distinguished by bulbous, capsule-like seed heads. Most varieties have pinkish flowers when blooming.
Thai name for Indra. Sanskrit. The four positions of the body in which the Buddha can be represented (fig.), according to existing iconography, namely walking (fig.), standing (fig.), seated (fig.) and reclining (fig.). 1. Thai. 'Northeast Thailand'. A region with 19 jangwat or provinces. Generally understood to be the region that corresponds with the Korat plateau, rather than the East of North Thailand (province of Nan). It is the direction of the compass guarded by the lokapala Phra Isaan (that is Idsuan or Shiva). See also Taksin, Udon, Burapah, Ahkney, Horadih, Prajim and Phayap.
2. Thai name for Isana, Ishana, Idsuan and Shiva, the lokapala or guardian of the Northeast. Also Phra Isaan. Isana (ईशान) See Ishana. Ishana (ईशान) Sanskrit. Guardian or lokapala of the Northeast. Also a name for Shiva or Rudra. Also Isana, and in Thai Idsuan or Phra Isaan.
Ishvara (ईश्वर) Sanskrit. 'Lord'. A title given to the Hindu god Shiva. Arabic. 'Surrender/submission (to the will of God)'. The Muslim religion based on the belief in one supreme God (Allah in Arabic) and on the teachings of Muhammad, his prophet who lived in the 7th century AD. The emphasis on a monotheistic belief connects its heritage with that of Judaism and Christianity, whose prophets Muslims recognize but believe that the Koran (recitation) is the final revelation to humankind which fulfills and completes all previous prophet's messages. Its five precepts are: profession of faith, prayer, pilgrimage (Hadj), fasting and charity. The first of these five pillars of Islam is called Shahada and states that 'there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of God'. This proclamation is recited whenever Muslims perform their five obligatory daily prayers. The Islamic house of prayer is called mosque (fig.) or masyid, literally a 'place of prostration' (fig.). These all have an arched niche in one of the interior walls, called an mihrab (fig.) and which indicates the qibla, the direction of Mecca, their most important place of worship situated in western Saudi Arabia and the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. When not praying in a mosque believers usually use a prayer rug, often with a portrait Mecca (fig.). Islam was at first a religious ideology that would unite the Arab world, but later, after allowing also non-Arabs it spread rapidly in the 7th century to become the second largest religion in the world with around 1,179 million believers. An estimated 2.47 million live in Thailand, mainly in the southern provinces. The official name of the Yao people. MORE ON THIS.
See nga. Latin-English. Compact to more open evergreen shrub of numerous species. In Thai called kem (needle). See also Wan Kruh.
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