Thailand’s King, Maha Vajiralongkorn began intricate Buddhist and Brahmin ceremonies, to symbolically transform him into a living god, as the Southeast Asian nation officially crowns its first monarch in nearly seven decades.
The king appeared dressed in white as he underwent a royal purification ritual, sitting under a canopied fountain that poured consecrated water over his head.
The country’s Buddhist Supreme Patriarch also poured sacred water over the king’s body, followed by Brahmin priests and royal family members.
Sixty-six-year-old King Vajiralongkorn became constitutional monarch after the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016, after 70 years on the throne.
Thai kings’ coronation rituals are a mixture of Buddhist and Hindu Brahmin traditions, dating back centuries.
