Cosmic Balance and Cultural Legacy: The Puranic Roots of Thailand’s Swing Ceremony

Abstract

This study explores the Puranic roots of these myths as narrated in primary Sanskrit and Tamil
sources, aiming to uncover their intricate connections to Thai rituals, narratives, and material
culture associated with the Swing Ceremony. Key Sanskrit texts examined include the purāṇas,
particularly those linked to the samudramanthana (churning of the ocean) episode, and the
Mahābhārata. Tamil sources include the Tiruvempāvai and Tiruppāvai hymns by
Māṇikkavācakar and Āṇḍāḷ, respectively, along with the Tamil Skandapurāṇa
(Kandapurāṇam) authored by Kacciyappa Śivācārya. Additionally, this study investigates how
Thai literary works from the 18th century onward have reinterpreted and localised these myths,
embedding them further into Thailand’s cultural and religious framework.
The Swing Ceremony’s ritual enactment—a cosmic drama performed by Brahmin priests on a
towering wooden swing—symbolised the cyclical rhythms of the universe and affirmed the
Thai monarch’s divine mandate to maintain cosmic and terrestrial harmony. The swing’s
motion mirrored the dynamic forces of creation and preservation described in the purāṇas and
itihāsas.