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Traditional performances highlight 'wai khru'

PLOENPOTE ATTHAKOR
Bangkok Post

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The September rains that had poured down since the previous night posed no problem for a large crowd of artists and musicians who lined up early in the morning for a sacred wai khru at Wat Phra Phiren.

Actually, they were accustomed to such wet weather as the event was in the middle of the rainy season.

This was one of the most important events for these artists and musicians who were to pay homage to deities and the teachers' spirits, seeking their blessing.

At the centre of the stage was Khru Boonlert Najpinit, the national artist who took the role of the presiding teacher for the ceremony. He was dressed in white attire, with Rishi's mask on his head. According to traditional beliefs, Rishi represents all kinds of teachers.

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The rite took place before rows of heads and masks of deities and teachers respected by the artists on a temporary high shelf.

"Some 2,000 attended this year's ceremony," said Supoj Angkaew, chairman of the Songkroh Sahai Silapin association, which organised the annual event. The number was slightly higher than last year's figure of 1,800.

He pointed out that it has been the big event for musicians and artists since the first year of its existence in 1970, the year after the charity association was formed.

"It's the late musician Uthis Narksawat who was the first chairman of the association," said 82-year-old Supoj, a physician by profession.

The association has maintained the original wai khru tradition - the harmonious blend of Buddhist and Brahman rites during which the artists and disciples, each holding a small bowl containing offerings, flowers, candle and incense sticks, a sheet of white cloth, and a 12-baht sum of money, repeated the sacred texts known by many as ongkan, recited by the presiding teacher. Each text, which is followed by a song, invites the spirits of teachers to the assembly. Some conservatories, including Ban Phattayakosol, do not play the invitational songs.

The amount of money in the bowl differs from place to place. Some may still stick to six baht.

"In the old days, it was six salueng, or 1.50 baht, and the number has increased through time, to six baht and 12 baht," he said, adding that all the money offerings will be given to the senior teacher who conducts the rite.

Some believe the number six signifies watchfulness while performing. Good musicians must stay alert for what's going on in front of them, at the back, the left and the right as well as above and below.

Surasak Jamnongsarn, lecturer at Srinakharinwirot University's faculty of fine arts, said it is believed that the rite's formula, with sacred wai khru melodies, was designed by senior artists at the Fine Arts Department, then known as Krom Mahorasop Luang under the command of King Rama VI.

"Each individual family held the rite at their house. The ceremony was simple. It was under King Rama VI that the ceremony was elaborated on to reach its grand format but many people still hold simple ceremonies at home," he said.

Basically, the formula is quite similar in each conservatory and education institute but with different small details. Several conservatories still stick to Thursday - Thai traditional teachers' day - for their wai khru ceremony. Some conservatories may have their own dates, however. For instance, Srinakharinwirot University fixes its wai khru date as February 5 - the birthday of the late Khunying Chin Silapabanleng, a woman teacher who made great contributions to the university. Others may organise it on Sunday to make it convenient for disciples. For Wat Phra Phiren, it's on the good Thursday of September.

"We follow the astrological calendar and have to avoid the bad Thursdays," said Supoj. This year the good Thursday fell on September 11. Before the actual wai khru day, nearly 20 likay troupes gave alternate performances for six consecutive nights.

Supoj said it's one of the deceased abbots who made Wat Phra Phiren an important place for the wai khru ceremony.

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"The abbot was a likay artist before he became a monk. So he patronised arts and culture. His successors have followed in his footsteps," he said.

Some individual artists may still hold such a ceremony at their house. But many can't afford it any longer and instead attend the ceremony at the temple for economic reasons.

"Some temples in the provinces also organise this wai khru ceremony," he said.

Some may disagree that such entertaining activities take place in the temple, but Supoj said he saw no problem.

Actually, wai khru is a good rite in which students pay homage to their teachers - the most important person for musicians after their parents. In the old days, there were no supportive instruments like tapes or CDs and the musicians had to memorise the songs from their teachers.

"More importantly, this kind of music initially belongs to the temple. Besides, music can help one to maintain mindfulness. When we play in a band we have to do each assigned role," said Supoj.

Mostly the ceremony is wrapped up around noon, when the presiding teacher will invite the deities and teachers' spirits to consume the food offerings. After that, the presiding teacher will start to anoint the disciples. Those who are performing artists will do the krob khru rite - the act in which the presiding teacher places Rishi's mask briefly on the head of the disciples.

Normally, the ceremony at Wat Phra Phiren ends late in the evening due to the high number of disciples seeking anointment and krob khru.

It is then followed by a pi phat (Thai traditional percussion) performance that is dedicated to teachers, called banleng thwai mue, which is no less important. Since the performance at the temple has been set in a sparring format with two ensemble bands performing in each round, the performance has become a music competition in which musicians showcase their skills.

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"Pi phat musicians are known for their highly competitive nature. Most are hot-headed people who do not easily give in to others. It's still unclear why they act that way. This does not happen to stringed musicians."

The event enticed both the musicians and their fans who were glued to the stage until the next morning, when the performance came to an end.