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Worshippers offer Rahu eight black items, among them black chicken, black jelly,
black liquor, black rice and black pudding.
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| Offering to God Rahu |
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The items are already prepared by the temple and are sold at 288 baht per set.
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Visitors pay homage to Rahu. They offer black flowers, black joss sticks, black candles
and black cloth with magic figures.
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| Black flowers |
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The symbol of Rahu was the number 8, a powerful figure believed to be the origin of all earthly things.
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Black joss sticks are very popular offerings to God Rahu.
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| Black joss sticks |
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In year 1997, the Prime Minister Chavalit's wife, Khunying Phankrua Yongchaiyudh, was to seek help from Rahu, the mythical god of darkness, to keep her husband's coalition government in one piece. Seeking the blessing of Rahu to repel bad luck is a common practice.
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To ward off bad luck associated with Rahu's attempts to devour the sun, believers
make offerings of black objects.
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| God Rahu |
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Many bees are flying around the sweet and black food.
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Black is the color of Rahu, the God of Darkness.
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| God Rahu |
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Rahu is said to swallow from time to time his two brothers, the moon and the sun, and throw them out again. It is the popular explanation for eclipses.
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In year 1997, Wat Srisa Thong in Nakhon Pathom
took part in a ceremony seeking blessings from Rahu, god of darkness.
The ceremony was important to Rahu followers because of the total lunar eclipse.
Followers believe the eclipse was caused by Rahu's shadow over the full moon.
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| God Rahu |
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In year 1997, many Thai people believed that the economic crisis has been caused by Rahu, the God of Darkness.
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Rahu's devotees in Thailand are buying up a range of such objects,
including black chickens, black liquor, black rice and black eggs.
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| God Rahu |
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As as offering to Rahu, some devotees invite dancers to
perform in front of Rahu's statue.
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| Dancers |
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Rahu covers the sun and the moon with his darkness, then it becomes so dark that the people became unable even to identify their places.
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Followers of Rahu offer eight black objects, including a black chicken, joss sticks and candles.
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| Black offerings |
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Lucky objects are used to ward off evil omens during a solar eclipse in Thailand. Since black is
the color of Rahu, black chicken, black liquor, black beans, black eggs,
black rice and black moss sticks are thought to be lucky.
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| God Rahu |
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Some Thai people believe that bad luck always comes with an eclipse, so
major changes and big losses are inevitable. Visits to Wat Srisa Thong then
become more popular before such event.
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| Wat Srisa Thong |
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When an eclipse hits, some people are clashing gongs and exploding firecrackers to frighten
away the God Rahu.
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| Wat Srisa Thong |
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According to animist beliefs, an eclipse takes place when the angry God
Rahu tries to swallow the sun. The only way to prevent disaster is to scare Rahu away
or placate him with offerings.
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| God Rahu |
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Wat Srisa Thong is most popular with Rahu followers because it
has a giant statue of Rahu, the biggest in Thailand.
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| Wat Srisa Thong |
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In year 1997, the wife of Thailand's prime minister,
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, announced her intention to make an offering to the god Rahu in the belief
that it would preserve the life of her husband's government. According to a local astrologer,
she would offer eight black foods, including black chickens, black beans and Coca-Cola.
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| God Rahu |
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