LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW

“PHINGKARA DHEVEE NOPBUREE

SRINAKHORNPHING CHIANG MAI, THE GOLDEN AND

THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF THE LANNA KINGDOM”

AT KHUM KHAM THEATRE,

THE KHUM KHANTOKE OF CHIANG MAI

Phingkara dhevee, the goddess of the Ping river, who has insighted the historical background of the Nopburee Srinakhornphing or the city of Chiang Mai, from past to present, shall lead all the guests of honor, inside this Khum Kham at this moment, to the ancient period as if you were actually there.

All of you would be present in the time the city was built by Phaya Mang Rai and his two friends: Phaya Ruang and Phaya Ngam Muang, who had witnessed the fertility of the land and therefore constructing and naming it the Nopburee Srinakhornphing. Peace, tranquility and fertility created culture, arts, and prosperity of Buddhism.

During the period of Phaya Kue Na, a feudal lord of Chiang Mai city, Lord Buddha’s relics were brought from Sukhothai city. Eeverybody would meet the heavenly beauty when angels pay respect to the relics with their dances.

Arriving to B.E. 2101, transition of cultures with neighboring countries took place which led to creation of classic martial arts and dances that are hard to come by. You will be dazzled with the beauty of theprincess of the 5 ethnic groups from the 5 dependent cities of Chiang Mai: yuan, Lue, Lao, Khoen, and Tai, of whom Phraya Kawila, the latter feudal lord of Chiang Mai city, gathered for its renovation during the period of “picking vegetables for the basket and gathering fabrics for the city.” While the goddess of the river, Phingkara Dhevee, would guide everyone into the golden period of Siam when we started trading with foreign countries and at same time absorbing culture of neighboring countries from which deriving a branch of art: the Ramayana masked play which ranked at the top of the Thai culture. You will be watching the Ramanyana at war.

The beauty of arts and culture in fantasy that you experience shall engrave so unforgettable an impression on you that you will visit KhumKham Theatre once again.

Thundering noises from the great drum, victory sound of war and symbol of all the auspices, representation of tribute and symbol of Lord Buddha’s worship from faithful hearts of the Lanna people reverberated the sky of the Nakhorn Phing city.

During a northbound journey of King Mangrai, as he arrived to the foot of Usuja Banphot mountain which is known today as Doi Suthep mountain, seven auspicious visions of the future were evident to him that his plan to establish a city shall be successful and prosperous. So he invited his two friends: Phaya Ngammuang and phaya Ruang to join him at the victorious location to lay the foundation stone of the new city of which the three king agreed to name “Nopburee Sri Nakhorn Phing.”

Time elapsed into the reign of King Kuena, the prosperous period of the ever stong faith of all the Lanna people, Buddhism was then shining bright like rays of silver and gold throughout the city. Lord Buddha’s relic was thus brought from Sukhothai city to Wiangphing Chai Chiang Mai city and finally enshrined upon the Doi Suthep mountain to infinitely bless the city and the Lanna people as a whole from that very day. Jubilant dhevas and angels from  heavens thus appear to worship Lord Buddha’s relic with faithful joy.

Crossing over to the Phukam Period, after two decades of being occupied, being a colony, though Lanna was almost lost from memory, she has still been able to retain her racial fine arts.

Independence of Lanna was finally established once more. The sky was open when King Taksin the Great from Thonburi, King Phuttha Yotfa the Great, Chaophraya Surasee, Phraya Kawila, and all the six brothers led brave army and local villagers who were ancestors of the Lanna people, to attack, defeat and chase away the Burmese troops from the Lanna territory. Afterwards Phraya Kawila gathered soldiers and skilled craftsmen from the five colonial towns to reestablish the city. Chiang Mai was thus returned to her golden age which was remembered as “the period of reaping, the period of enslaving.”

As suffering and grievances disappened, joy and happiness returned. Wind of change blows from period to period. From civilization of the Lanna culture to the civilization of Siam. The oneness of Thailand under the Chakree Dynasty blended with overseas civilizations  created the identity of Thai culture and fine arts.

Then came the golden age of literature and fine arts of Siam. The beauty innovated and inherited by the wisdom of our ancestors out of the great Ramayana represented the incomparable civilization of Thai culture through the Thai classical play of Ramayana.