GIANT SWING

Description

Essentials about the Giant Swing in brief

The Sao Ching Cha (Giant Swing) is one of the most extraordinary landmarks of Bangkok. It is located in the heart of the old city, north of the large temple complex of Wat Suthat. The Great Swing has nothing to do with a playground, but goes back to an ancient Hindu solar rite.

The history of the Giant Swing

The Giant Swing was built in 1784 by King Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I) in front of the Brahma shrine Devasathan, which was built at the same time. The recommendation to build the swing was given to the king by a Brahmin from Sukhothai province, who assured him that such a swing ceremony would strengthen his new capital.

The swing ceremony on the Giant Swing

The swing ceremony was one of the twelve court ceremonies performed in certain months of the Thai lunar calendar in the kingdom of Sukhothai. It is the traditional celebration of the Brahman New Year and lasted for ten days. Since the swing ceremony is traditionally considered a solar ceremony, the swing is also oriented to swing along the path of the sun, that is, from east to west.

According to an ancient Hindu epic, after Brahma created the world, he sent Shiva to earth to check on things. When Shiva descended to earth, great nagas wrapped themselves around two mountains to stabilize the earth. When Shiva found the earth firmly anchored, the nagas celebrated in the sea. The swing ceremony is meant to re-enact this story. The mountains are symbolized by the two long main beams, while the circular base of the swing represents the earth and the sea.

In the swing ceremony, groups of four men sitting one behind the other in an elongated swing had to try to grab a money bag attached to a long bamboo pole with their teeth. However, since the money bag was suspended at a height of about 25 meters, the swing had to be almost vertical in order to succeed. No wonder there were many serious accidents over the years of the ceremony, which is why it was finally abandoned for good in 1935. So today there is no more swinging – the Great Swing is nevertheless still an impressive “playing device”.