page_title: Grand Palace
section_title: Mount Kailasa
hierarchical_section_title: Grand Palace / Middle Court / Phra Maha Prasat group / Mount Kailasa
caption_attribution_description: English: Miniature model of Mount Kailasa in the Grand Palace of Bangkok.
context_page_description: The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782. The king, his court, and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, resided at the Chitralada Royal Villa and his successor King Vajiralongkorn at the Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall, both in the Dusit Palace, but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year. The palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand.
  Construction of the palace began on 6 May 1782, at the order of King Phutthayotfa Chulalok, the founder of the Chakri Dynasty, when he moved the capital city from Thonburi to Bangkok. Throughout successive reigns, many new buildings and structures were added, especially during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. By 1925, the king, the Royal Family and the government were no longer permanently settled at the palace, and had moved to other residences.
context_section_description: The miniature model of Mount Kailasa (เขาไกรลาสจำลอง; RTGS: Khao Krailat Chamlong), the mythical abode of Shiva, was built during the reign of King Rama IV. The miniature mountain was used as a setting for an important ceremony called the royal tonsure ceremony. This ancient rite of passage would be performed for the royal prince and princess around the age of thirteen. The ceremony, sometimes lasting seven days of festivities, involves a purifying bath and the cutting of the traditional topknot hair of the royal child. The latter act was done by the king himself, the hair is later thrown into the Chao Phraya river as an offering. For this purpose there is a miniature palace on the summit for the ceremony to take place. the lower part of the mountain is populated with stone sculptures of miniature mythical animals of the Himavanta Forest. The mount is situated behind the walk way between the  Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall and Ho Plueng Krueng. This area is considered part of the Inner Court and is not opened to the public.
caption: Mount Kailasa was temporarily moved to the front of the Chakri Maha Prasat for the Tonsure ceremony of Prince Maha Vajirunhis in 1886.
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