Gold in the ruins
A light and sound spectacle digs the glories of an ancient kingdom from the graveyard and puts them on stage for the world to see
- Published: 15/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Horizons
Sukhothai never fails to enchant visitors. Blessed with a history that resonates via the crumbling ancient ruins of Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai archaeological parks, this lower north province continues to captivate their imagination with whatever is still left standing of its glorious past.
Even in ruins, the majestic splendour of Wat Mahathat, the largest and most significant of temples from its era, never fails to impress visitors to the historical park. The pagoda seen in the back of the Buddha statue is in typical Sukhothai style.
The ruins date back some 700 years to the Sukhothai Kingdom.
I recently visited Sukhothai Historical Park, timing my arrival in the afternoon to give myself enough time to feel around and get in the mood for the light and sound performance I'd be seeing later that evening.
A bunch of European tourists were biking around when I got there and as I joined them my tour guide advised me not to try to match them for speed but ride at my own pace.
There weren't many people around and not much activity either. Riding past the ruins of temples, palaces and monuments, I couldn't help wondering how busy this place might have been at the height of its glory, when the park was a city in itself and the seat of power of ancient Siam. Sukhothai is regarded as Thailand's first capital, preceding Ayutthaya.
After sunset the environs lit up accentuating the park's beauty, and every visitor headed in direction of Wat Sa Si for the light and sound spectacular performed by a young troupe from the Sukhothai College of Dramatic Arts.
The silhouette of crumbling ruins provided a perfect backdrop for the spectacle that unfurled. The stage glittered with props and characters from history, which included the portrayal of monarchs who have ruled from Sukhothai including the benevolent King Ramkhamhaeng, founder of the modern Thai alphabet.
Early next day I travelled to a fishermen community in Kong Krailat sub-district to observe their rustic lifestyle and how they prepare traditional sweets and desserts that are such a hit with Thai tourists.
Next I visited an organic farm near Sukhothai Airport in Sawankhalok district for a crash course in cultivation of rice, fruit and vegetable that does not rely on use of chemicals or fertilisers, and then sampled its organic vegetable salad, delicious indeed!
If you fancy terracotta products, go to Ban Thung Luang in Khiri Mat district. It's a marvel watching villagers creating intricate patterns on objects ranging from water jars to flower pots. Popular souvenir items include animals _ pigs, birds and lions _ cast in various shapes and sizes.
Wat Sa Si is the venue of a light and sound presentation held the first Saturday of every month, narrating the history of Sukhothai and its monarchs. Also showcased are local traditions and festivals through song and dance, the most colourful being a procession of drums and Buddhit Lent merit-making. The show ends in an explosion of fireworks. Taped translation of the narration is available in English, Japanese and French.
Advancing age hasn’t kept Uncle Chai from his routine of mending boats and going out fishing with friends at Kong Krailat community. However, he did complain about the flight of youth to Bangkok, lured by better work conditions and higher salary. His greatest joy these days is imparting local wisdom to whoever is prepared to learn from him. The day I visited he was planning to go fishing with his grandson that same evening.
It must be tedious for these migrant Lao workers sifting through the day’s catch, but they never complain for they are happy to have a job at Kong Krailat community. Given the small size of fish, it takes great patience and a good eye to sort fresh from rotten ones, and then packaging them, before sending out to factories that produce fish sauce.
Fermented fish is a staple of Kong Krailat, notably available at Ko Chiean Jae Chew, one of the oldest shops opening nearly 40 years ago. Fish used in making the dish is caught in the Yom River, and good quality salt and ground rice are added during the fermentation to kill unpleasant odour. Here, a daughter of the shop owner opens the lids of buckets containing fermented fish to prove it doesn’t smell foul at all.
Visitors with sweet tooth will relish dishes traditional to Kong Krailat, such as ‘thong muan’ golden rolls and ‘khanom phing’ made from coconut milk, tapioca flour, sugar, salt and eggs. The recipe has been passed down families over generations. Visitors, too, can try making them. I tried ‘khanom phing’, starting by heating coconut milk, egg yolk and sugar in a saucepan until it simmered, after which I left it to cool down. Then I added flour and kneaded until it blended with the mixture, covered it and left it alone for about 10 hours. I came back the next day to see the dough being baked on an old charcoal stove. Needless to say my khanom phing tasted delicious, not too sweet.
Farming aside, Sukhothai’s Organic Agriculture Project also educates visitors about the virtues of chemical-free vegetables and fruits; it’s like a licence to good health and longevity. Our tour began with a welcome drink extracted from rice grass leaves, which is quite refreshing. Wrapped in neat plastic bags were sun-dried organic bananas, which tasted nice. After a brief orientation, we visited a greenhouse and an organic vegetable and fruit garden. Courses in old methods of farming are also available, as are farm implements and clothes, just in case the urge to do some ploughing, planting and harvesting takes over. For accommodation, there is a homestay facility. The farm only uses natural fertiliser like manure and crushed green beans, and for water to irrigate the fields it relies on rain. At the end of the tour we were served mixed vegetable salad, the ingredients sourced from its organic garden.
After harvest women at the farm sort out rice grains by hand. Yes, you got it right! The quality has to be exceptional because it is destined for supermarkets. They only take short breaks to rest their eyes before returning to the arduous task of separating unrefined grains from the healthy ones, which to the untrained eyes look very similar.
We rode an ‘e-tan’ farm truck to watch water buffaloes take an afternoon swim. There were hundreds of them, kept in an enclosure whose gate was held ajar inviting them to step out. They were hesitant at first—it wasn’t time yet for we’d arrived early—but after some coaxing emerged and rushed headlong to a pond for much-needed respite from the blazing sun.
Ban Thung Luang takes great pride in moulding terracotta products, something it’s done for generations, initially for personal use but now also for sale to tourists. In the old days its residents only made pottery in their free time—when not working the farms—but today it is big business. The process starts with mixing clay and fine sand, compressing the mix, sculpturing and designing, after which the pieces are left to dry in the sun. The final step involves burning them in a charcoal-fired furnace.
About the author
- Writer: Yvonne Bohwongprasert
- Position: Reporter
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น