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Five Royal Regalia



 


The Five Royal Regalia or Bencharatchakakutthaphan consist of a total of five items: The Great Crown of Victory or Phra Maha Phichai Mongkut, the Sword of Victory or Phra Saeng Khan Chai Si, the Royal Staff or Than Phra Kon, the Royal Fan or Wanwitchani fan with The Royal Fly Whisk, and the Royal Up-turned Slippers or Chalong Phra Bat Choeng Ngon. Besides these items, the Great White Umbrella of State is of great importance in the classical coronation ceremony.

The Great Crown of Victory

The Great Crown of Victory or Phra Maha Phichai Mongkut is the most important relic of the Five Royal Regalia, with which His Majesty the King formally crowns himself on coronation day. The Great Crown of Victory is considered the main insignia of sovereignty. The crown is made of gold and is richly adorned with gemstones, topped with a great diamond called Maha Wichian Mani.
The Sword of Victory

The Sword of Victory or Phra Saeng Khan Chai Si is considered a foremost emblem of sovereignty as it symbolizes the King as an actual warrior-chief of his people. It has been used as a ceremonial sword that has never been carried to war. The blade of this sword was brought from Cambodia. King Rama I ordered the gold enameled handle and scabbard made. The neck of the sword, between the handle and the blade, is adorned with a gold inlaid miniature image of Vishnu mounting his Garuda.
The Royal Staff

The Royal Staff or Than Phra Kon is made of a cassia wooden stick entirely covered with gold. The pointed top and the three-pronged point are of gold inlaid metal. The Royal Staff is used as a symbol of regal authority by many cultures worldwide and is associated with the guiding of the King's footsteps down the path of justice and fairness.
The Royal Fan and The Royal Fly Whisk

According to ancient Indian accounts, items used by the King were conceived with the idea of providing divine comfort. They are symbolic of the King's obligation to ward off any malfeasance which might cause untold discomfort to his people. The Royal Fan or The Wanwitchani is made of Talipot palm leaf, and its frame is covered with gold. Its handle shaft and the coupling knobs are crafted with gold, red, green, white, and sky blue Rachawadi enameling, set with laces of diamonds in bands around the handle shaft. The Royal Fly Whisk is made of hair from a white elephant's tail from the period of King Rama IV.
The Royal Up-turned Slippers

The Royal Up-turned Slippers or The Chalong Phra Bat Choeng Ngon attest to the ancient belief in the divine status of the King's personification of a God, found in Sanskrit writing. This divine status emanates such high position that His Majesty's feet should be protected from touching the ground. The pair of enameled gold slippers are decorated with diamonds and weigh 650 grams. Made during the reign of King Rama I, the Royal Up-turned Slippers were intended to be used only at the coronation, they symbolize the acceptance of the people.
 
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