Perhaps the most popular realm in Thai mythology, Himapan Forest is
the invisible woodland believed to exist in the Himalayas, in the
India-Nepal border, just below the equally legendary Buddhist heaven.
The fabled forest is home to a great number of mythical beasts that
have become symbols of exemplary Thai traits. Some of such fabulous
creatures are described below.
*GARUDA: Royalty and Supremacy*
Half human and half bird, Garuda has the torso and arms of a man and
the head, wings, tail, and feet of an eagle. The king of all birds is
the favored mount of Vishnu, a deity shared by both the Hindu and the
Thai faiths. The Thai people honor Garuda as a symbol of royalty and
supremacy. In fact, he represents the Thai monarchy or government, and
an artist's rendition of the majestic creature appears on Thai bank
notes and on the royal flag of Thailand.
*NOK HASADEE: Ambivalence and Balance*
A gigantic elephant-headed bird, Nok Hasadee inhabits the tangled,
thorny rattan-cane areas of Himapan, where he patiently waits in
camouflage for ungulates--his favored prey. During heavy rains,
especially when he is neither furious nor famished, Nok Hasadee
fancies making noise by playing an enormous 'khawng wong yai' or,
simply, smelling the scent of the forest with his proboscis. This is
the reason many Thai natives, especially those of the Central Plains,
view thunderstorms as one of Nok Hasadee's destructive pranks.
Nevertheless, they describe him as a paradoxical character--playful yet
lonesome, childlike yet predatory.
*NAGA: Comfort and Safety*
A multiheaded serpent whose main head sports a beard and wears a
typical pointed Thai crown, Naga inhabits the densest part of Himapan
Forest. It is a half sibling yet a sworn enemy of Garuda. Naga is a
familiar motif in Thai architecture, featured frequently on stair
handrails of many temples. Thailanders regard the serpent as a symbol
of
http://www.dontplayplay.com/html/Culture/20060925/8712.html
.
|
