The legacy of Brahmin rituals in Thailand predates the Chakri Dynasty and can be traced back to the Dvaravati period (6th–11th centuries CE). Ancient Southeast Asian kings sought their legitimacy by adopting Indian-style coronation rituals performed by Brahmin priests. These priests were brought from India or descended from Indian lineages, reinforcing the king’s divine mandate through the performance of Vedic ceremonies.

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During the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods, Brahmins became institutionalized within the Thai royal court. By the time Rama I established the Chakri Dynasty in 1782 and moved the capital to Bangkok, Brahmins had become essential in conferring spiritual legitimacy upon monarchs. Rama I allocated land at the heart of the new capital to house the Devasthana, the temple complex for court Brahmins, which remains the spiritual epicenter for Brahmanical rites in Thailand to this day.

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The Siamese Brahmins have maintained and performed complex Hindu ceremonies for centuries, including the royal coronation (Rajyabhisheka), the annual Giant Swing ritual, and the Royal Ploughing Ceremony. While the core of Thai spirituality is rooted in Buddhism, these rituals reflect a syncretism unique to Thailand, where Brahminical and Buddhist elements coexist harmoniously.

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Of the three main groups of Brahmins in Thailand—the Vidhi, Horacharya, and Phrithibat—only the first continue to officiate royal ceremonies. Descended from ancient Saiva lineages from Nakhon Si Thammarat, the Vidhi Brahmins serve at the Grand Palace and the Devasthana shrines dedicated to Siva, Vishnu, and Ganesha. The Horacharya Brahmins, linked to the Sukhothai lineage, act as royal astrologers, while the Phrithibat Brahmins, from a Cambodian lineage, perform elephant-related rituals.

 

The current Rajaguru lineage is thought to have descended from the famed Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The Rajaguru played a pivotal role in key state ceremonies, most notably the coronation of King Rama X in 2019. During this event, he sanctified sacred waters drawn from Thailand’s rivers and presented them to the king, who bathed in them as part of the coronation. He also handed the king the royal regalia, symbolizing divine empowerment. During the most solemn moment, the Rajaguru read a secret invocation known as the “Opening of the Gate of Mount Kailash,” believed to summon the gods to witness and bless the king’s ascension.

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A distinctive feature of Thai Brahminism is the chanting of the Thiruvempavai and Thiruppavai hymns—Tamil devotional verses dedicated to Siva and Vishnu, respectively—during an annual December-January liturgy. These hymns are chanted in Tamil, despite the Brahmins not speaking the language, and are recorded on ancient manuscripts written in Thai Grantha script. The ritual culminates now in a symbolic Giant Swing ceremony, that once involved actual people physically swinging from a hanging platform that represented a myth involving Siva, Parvati, and a naga.

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This sacred festival encapsulates the synthesis of Saivism and Vaishnavism, a blend rarely maintained so harmoniously even in India. It underscores the idea that the Thai monarchy is not merely a political institution but also a spiritual one, sustained by the careful stewardship of Brahmin priests who adapt ancient Indian customs to Thai context.