Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07
CEREMONIES IN SIAM.
The Presentation Of the "Yellow
Robes"

From the London Mail.
The Bangkok correspondent of The Daily
Mail sends the following interesting ac-
count Of two typical Siamese ceremonies:
Decorations in the streets: some flags;
here and there picture of the king with
tapers burning, as before a shrine Curl
Gus crowds waiting. Pony carriages or
Charles with their occupants. hurrying
to the center Of interest, which is the front
OF big wat, or Buddhist temple In the
roadway there is a procession standing at
ease. with the principal figures absent
Looking ahead you can see the blue uni
forms OF military escort. Just in front
of You in the road there are a number of
ob1ong couches, rooted over like miniature
cottages paianQuins. The bearers are be-
side them. in antique-looking liveries.
There are some led horses caparisoned
In what might be taken for cloth Of gold.
These are tended by unchristian looking
men clad In Jackets and loose trousers (too
sherD Of green and gold. There are a mill
nary brass band and some troops, and Of.
hcers In red tunicS and white helmets. A
quaint mixture of ancient and modern.
The procession Is waiting for the king.
who Is within the wat with his suite MAX
Ing his yearly offering of yellow robes to
the priests. The king has many such visits
to make during these Thot Krathin Cor
presenting Of robes) festivities and the
value Of the garments which he thus dds
tributes every year is set down at SL000.
On previous days he has paid his visits
by carriage; today he goes by palanquin;
tomorrow he crosses the river In his royal
barge.
AN interval of waiting and then a sud.
den stir: the military come to attention:
people are coming out Of the wat. Richly
dressed mobiles, officials and officers appear
In coats nearly covered with goldwork and
loaded, some OF them, with medals; and
then all eyes are fixed on a figure borne
high In a chair of state above the heads
OF the DPnDIn that all ms
dfgntf1ed figure, with singularly pleasing
face. and winning smile as he acknowl.
edges the saIutations Of the people. This u
King Chulalongkorn himself. and one finds
It hard to realize that the still youthful
looking man seated aloft there under the
state umbrella, held above his head, has
sat for thirty-four years on the throne
The next day the Queen OF Siam present.
ed yellow robes for the priests at certain
watts on the west side Of the river. Our cor.
respondent thus describes the scene on her
ma jesty's return:
'tJust as the short twilight is fading q
stir on the river and q bugie note tell us
that the procession is returning. and then
we get SiameSe scene as characteristic.
perhaps, as any to be witnessed In the coun-
try. One after another come a succession
OF immensely long barges. curving high at
the PROV and stern after the fashion IA.
rows OF oarsmen. or paddlemen. We notice
one manned by sailors pulling sailor FASH
ion but this Is an innovation.
THE genuine Siamese style IS seen in the
majority of barges. where the men lift their
paddles high after each stroke all together
like clockwork, while one, standing erect,
beats time with a long bamboo rod which
he thumps against the bottom Of the boat.
After the procession has landed 1t is re.
formed on the quay. and in a splendid PAL
anQuin, borne high, the queen herself passes
by. The seated figure Is visible but 1t ID
now too dark to make out any details Of its
rich attire Her majesty IL Of no less dig
niaed appearance In public than the king
himself. After the queen there follow .
number Of smaller palanquins bearing meme
bers Of the royal household. The procession
moves at a slow and most stately pacs
along the roadway and through the great
gate In the palace wall.
LAS It disappears we have the pleasure
Of rejecting that We have witnessed one
Of the most typical oriental scenes that
Siam affords, and the effect. in the dim
half light. very nearly realizes ones ideal
Of eastern romance"