The Cult of Chamadevi, Queen of Ancient Lamphun

                                 by Jim Goodman

devotees at the altar of Chamadevi in the park

       Men have been the movers and shakers of historical events almost everywhere in Thailand.  The notable exception is Lamphun, the oldest city in northern Thailand, supposedly founded in the 7^th century, where the first ruler was a remarkable woman named Chamadevi.  Historians differ on the dates, but none dispute her existence and her role in the foundation of Haripunchai, as Lamphun was first known.  But there are no extant contemporary accounts and the chronicles about the period were all written long after King Mengrai of Lanna conquered the city in 1281.

       Chamadevi was a Mon princess from Lawo (today’s Lopburi), one of several allied Mon city-states in central Thailand in the 7^th century.  Invited to rule the newly established city of Haripunchai, she brought along 500 monks, as well as scholars and skilled artisans, with the intent to make Haripuuchai a new Lawo and a successful northward extension of Mon civilization.  She subdued the indigenous Lawa people and established Theravada Buddhism as the state religion.

Chamadevi setting out from Lawo, from a mural in Wat Prayeun

       This much of her story is certain.  It’s the details that have been embellished.  Writing centuries after the events, the chroniclers probably relied on the oral accounts of local residents.  And they uncritically recorded everything they heard.  Thus, historical facts have been embroidered with legends filled with fanciful, colorful details that so resonated with the local people that they turned her into a cult figure.

       According to the best-known story, Chamadevi was born to a wealthy farmer near Pasang, south of Lamphun.  At the age of just three months she was carried off by a giant bird and taken to the residence of the hermit Wasuthep on the mountain west of present-day Chiang Mai that in later times would be named after him—Doi Suthep.   He raised her as his own daughter and gave her the name Chamadevi.

Wasuthep and the Buddha, Wat Ku Tao

Chamadevi's shrine, Wat Ku Kut

       When she reached puberty at 13, Wasuthep decided to divine her fortune and discovered she was destined to become the ruler of a new state.  In order that she would obtain the proper training for such a role, the hermit dispatched Chamadevi by raft downriver to Lawo, along with a pair of monkeys to keep her company, believed to be the ancestors of contemporary Lopburi's monkey community.  Her arrival both astonished and pleased Lawo’s king and queen and they raised her in the palace.

Chamadevi's army, Wat Prayeun mural

       She grew up educated, pious and adept in military affairs.  By the time she was twenty she was very beautiful and attracted many suitors, all of whom she turned down.  One of them, a neighboring  Mon prince, reacted to her rejection by leading an army against Lawo.  Chamadevi herself directed the defenders, who repulsed the disappointed prince’s troops.

       A few years later Wasuthep, who had been busy recently laying the foundations for Haripunchai, arrived in Lawo to request that Chamadevi be allowed to serve as sovereign of the new city.  Chamadevi happened to be pregnant at the time, but not married.  In fact, her lover had entered the monkhood.  She may have been an embarrassment at Court and perhaps the King of Lawo agreed to her departure to squelch the gossip. 

repelling Viranga's attack, Wat  Ku Kut mural

       They made the journey by river, which took, depending on the chronicle, three to seven months.  A week after her arrival she gave birth to twin sons—Mahantayos and Anantayos.  With the large retinue that accompanied her, she quickly set up a state modeled on that of Lawo and began patronizing Buddhism.

       Wasuthep disappears from the narratives, but back around his former home on Doi Suthep, the Lawa inhabitants were aware of developments just 25 km south.  But when their leader King Viranga listened to his spies’ reports, what struck him most were their descriptions of Chamadevi’s great beauty.  He fell in love and dispatched a messenger asking the new queen to marry him.  She bade him wait, for she was weaning her infant sons.

Chamadevi's court at Haripunchai, Wat Prayeun mural

       Viranga waited.  Every year he sent a renewal of his request to Haripunchai.  Each time the queen replied that she was still weaning her sons.  When the two boys finally reached the age of eight, Viranga got fed up with this obviously false excuse and decided to invade Haripunchai and take Chamadevi by force.  His army was strong enough to breach the city walls and open the northern gate, through which Viranga rode through for his triumphal entry.

       Suddenly, from the southern part of the city, came Chamadevi’s counter-attack.  Her young sons rode her personal war elephant, named Blackie Purple after the color of its skin, charged at the Lawa and terrified both them and Viranga’s war elephant.  The latter turned so quickly that it broke Viranga’s leg against the gate.  Commemorating that incident, the northern gate of contemporary Lamphun is named Pratu Chang Si—Elephant Crush Gate.

Wat Sanpayangluang, Chamadevi's cremation site

       Blackie Purple died not long afterwards and Viranga believed his next assault would be victorious.  Chamadevi suspected that as well, so she proposed a deal.  Since he claimed supernatural powers he should prove it by hurling a spear from his home on Doi Suthep to the city of Haripunchai.  The confident Viranga accepted the challenge, mounted Doi Suthep, summoned his powers and hurled his spear.  It fell just short of the city walls.  Not bad for a first attempt and, by terms of the deal, he had three tries.

        Alarmed at the result, Chamadevi resorted to guile.  She sent Viranga the gift of a special cloth hat to congratulate him on getting so close to success on his very first attempt.  The love-struck Viranga donned it at once and prepared for his second throw.  But this time the spear landed a few meters from his feet.  Part of the hat was made from Chamadevi’s undergarments, soiled by menstrual blood, a condition that automatically canceled Viranga’s supernatural powers.  Realizing he’d been tricked, Viranga threw his last spear straight up into the sky and bared his chest so that it struck him dead when it fell back down.

Mon-style sculptures at Wat Sanpayanglaung

       Chamadevi never did marry.  And neither the Lawa nor anyone else attacked Haripunchai again during her lifetime.  The rest of her reign was peaceful, devoted to establishing the government on a firm foundation, building temples and promoting Buddhism.  She reigned for about two more decades and then abdicated in favor of her son Mahantayos and moved south to Lampang, a new city whose ruler was her other son Anantayos.

       She died at the age of 89.  King Mahantayos had her corpse brought back to Haripunchai in a stately procession.  She was cremated at what is today called Wat Sun Pa Yang Luang, north of the old town and one of the most attractive temples in the region.  This was the site of northern Thailand’s first Buddhist temple, dated 542, long before the establishment of Haripunchai.  Chamadevi came here frequently to pray. 

the main chedi at Wat Phra That Haripunchai

13th century chedis at Wat Ku Kut

       Chamadevi’s legacy was a strong state that maintained its independence even after its parent Lawo fell to the Khmer in the 10^th century.  Her dynasty died out in the early 11^th century, when a devastating epidemic caused the city’ population to evacuate to Thaton, in lower Myanmar, for nearly a generation.  But then they moved back to Haripunchai.  In 1044 the king of a new dynasty ordered the construction of Wat Phra That Haripunchai on the grounds of Chamadevi’s former palace. 

       The magnificent gilded chedi, 43 meters tall, that dominates the compound, is said to be on the site of Chamadevi’s bedroom.  It was built a century later by King Aditayaraj to celebrate three victories over Khmer invaders.  Conscious of the state’s original sovereign, he also had a chedi built at Wat Ku Kut, a little west of the old city, in honor of Chamadevi. 

Blackie Purple, Chamadevi's elephant

Chamadevi's horse

       This chedi collapsed in an earthquake several years later.  In 1218 King Saphet ordered it rebuilt to a height of 21 meters.  Called Chedi Suwan Chang Kot, it is a stepped pyramid on a square base, with niches on each side containing standing Buddha images.  The same year saw the erection of a smaller companion, 11.5 meters high on a hexagonal base, called Chedi Ratana, which is believed to contain the ashes of Queen Chamadevi.

Ku Chang, the mouument to Blackie Purple

       By now Haripunchai was past its peak as a kingdom.  Tai Yuan people from further north began migrating into the state.  In 1258 they were strong enough to overthrow the king and install a new dynasty.  In 1281 the Tai Yuan state of Lanna under King Mengrai conquered the city, but more by subversion rather than by violence.  Mengrai admired Haripunchai and modeled his own capitals, first Wiang Kum Kam and then Chiang Mai, on the moats, walls and city gates of Haripunchai.  He was equally impressed with its level of civilization and patronage of Buddhism, which he sought to replicate in his own kingdom.

       From then on Haripunchai’s history is subsumed into that of the Kingdom of Lanna, which fell under Burmese rule in the mid-16^th century.  In the late 18^th century, in the wake of Kawila’s expulsion of the Burmese from northern Thailand, the city, like other cities in the north, was deserted.  After Kawila re-established Lanna he launched kidnapping campaigns in northeast Burma to repopulate the kingdom.  Among those captured were Tai Lue from Muang Yong, more popularly known as Yong people, who were forcibly resettled in Lamphun, the new name for Haripunchai.  They are still an important part of the city’s population.

Ku Ma, the monument to Chamadevi's horse

statue of Chamadevi in the park

       In recent decades Lamphun has become very conscious of its ancient heritage, including the importance of Chamadevi.  This is in spite of the fact that virtually nobody living there can trace descent from Haripunchai’s original population.  Yet as residents of Chamadevi’s city, they are conscious of her legacy and legends.  The chedis at Wat Ku Kut, also called Wat Chamadevi, have remained in remarkably good condition.  The new temple in the compound features wall murals of the Chamadevi story, such as the founding of Haripunchai and the contest with Viranga.

       In the eastern suburbs of Lamphun lies Wat Prayeun, where the interior walls of the ubosot—ordination hall—are also filled with murals of Chamadevi’s life.  These are a bit more ornate than those at Wat Ku Kut, and not always historically accurate.  The painting depicting her departure from Lawo shows the three prangs that are the iconic symbol of Lopburi, Lawo’s successor.  But those were built by the Khmer, long after the event.  Another painting, of a scene in Haripunchai, includes the gilded chedi, which wasn’t built for another few centuries.

holiday decorations at Chamadevi's Park

       Besides Wat Chamadevi, Lamphun’s devotees also visit Chamadevi’s animal shrines, located in a quiet compound on the Kuang River east of the city.  The biggest is Ku Chang, a bullet-shaped chedi with a tapering top, said to contain the tusks of Blackie Purple, Chamadevi’s famous war elephant.  Behind it, smaller and shaped like a bell, stands Ku Ma, the tomb of her swiftest warhorse.  Large images of elephants stand in the courtyard, while smaller ones, of elephants and horses, crowd the fronts of the chedis and the rear wall of the compound.

       These unique animal shrines are still venerated by Lamphun residents, who pray before them and leave offerings of fruits and flowers or another small elephant statue.  In the bushes left of Ku Ma, not easily visible, is a small shrine to Chamadevi’s cat.  To the right of Ku Chang stands another dilapidated little shrine to the queen’s rooster, whose morning crow could allegedly be heard for several kilometers.  Neither of these receives local devotees, yet Ku Chang and Ku Ma attract regular attention, for they are integrally part of Chamadevi’s cult. 

      Endorsing this cult, the city government back in 1982 opened a park dedicated to Chamadevi, just within the moats on the southwest corner of the old town.  A rather voluptuous statue of her stands at the north end of the park.  Behind it are several sandstone reliefs depicting periods of Lamphun’s history, from the founding of Haripunchai to the introduction of railways, flanked by statues of Blackie Purple and Chamadevi’s horse.  Lavish decorations fill the park on holidays.

Loy Krathong balloon

Salak Yom 'trees' at Wat Phra That Haripunchai

       Lamphun’s two major annual cultural events are Salak Yom in September and Loy Krathong in November.  Both center their activities on Wat Phra That Haripunchai.  In the former, a Yong community festival, people make artificial trees of offerings, the upper half for the monks, the lower half for the deceased, and carry them in a long procession to the temple.  They leave them there until next evening, when they distribute the offerings.

       For Loy Krathong, people float offerings in the river and moats in the evening, as in Chiang Mai.  But the biggest event is the launching of huge balloons the morning of the full moon day.  This takes place right next to the chedi.  Thus both celebrations climax on the grounds of Chamadevi’s former palace.  The shrine to her within the compound is busy those days, but attracting even more devotees is the altar beneath her statue in the park.  For her worshippers, Chamadevi is modern Lamphun’s patron and protector and a heroine unmatched by any other anywhere in Thailand.

larger than life--Queen Chamadevi and her subjects 

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Lamphun and the Mon Queen’s Legacy

                                               by Jim Goodman

covered bridge over the northern moat

       Since its foundation in 1296, Chiang Mai has been the most important city in northern Thailand.  But it was not the first one.  That honor belongs to Lamphun, a small, clean, quiet and attractive town today about 25 km south.  One can get there quickly via the expressway or take one of the trains from the Chiang Mai station.  The nicest route, though, is the road beginning on the east bank of the Ping River.  For two-thirds of the distance this road is flanked by very tall, centuries-old trees, each wrapped in a saffron robe to mark its sanctity.  The last third of the way can be equally enchanting in late spring, for then it is full of blossoming trees with red or yellow flowers.

       Once entering the urban area, it’s just a few blocks before you cross the moat and enter the original town of Haripunchai.  The moat, partly connected to the Kuang River, a tributary of the Mae Ping, surrounds an area 450 meters wide north to south and 875 meters long east to west.  Old brick gates and portions of the old city wall stand at the four corners and a covered bridge, with a market inside, spans the northern moat.  One’s first impression of Lamphun is that it is a smaller version of Chiang Mai.  Actually, it was more like the inspiration for Chiang Mai.

one of Lamphun's old city gates

       The city’s foundation dates back to the 8^th century, when Mon states dominated the Maenam Chao Phya Valley in central Thailand, the Khmer Empire was beginning to expand in the east and what is now Chiang Mai Province was sparsely settled, mostly by Lawa, a Mon-Khmer people around Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep.  In 767-8 the Mon ruler of Lawo, today’s Lopburi, dispatched his daughter, Princess Chamadevi, to rule over the newly created city of Haripunchai, now Lamphun. 

       The river journey from Lawo took three months.  Chamadevi’s entourage included artisans, merchants, doctors, teachers, astrologers and five hundred Theravada Buddhist monks.  Thus Haripunchai was a re-created Lawo and Buddhism established its first stronghold in northern Thailand.  Queen Chamadevi subdued the Lawa, established an enduring state and in her old age abdicated in favor of one of her twin sons and retired in the new city of Lampang established by her other son,

Chamadevi's arrival in Haripunchai

       This much is known to history, but contemporary records are absent and over time legends and folklore have embellished Chamadevi’s story.  Much of this is due to a narrative, which included such stories, written by a 16^th century monk, long after Haripunchai had been absorbed into the Kingdom of Lanna, about how a Buddha relic was installed in the main temple there in 897.      

       According to the legends compiled by the monk, the new queen had three special animals to assist her.  One was a faithful horse, one a rooster that crowed whenever danger lurked on the horizon, and the other, most important one, was her elephant, named Blackie Purple after the color of its skin.  It had green tusks and whenever it pointed these at an enemy that enemy dropped dead.      

       Her beauty and accomplishments aroused the ardor of King Viranga, the Lawa chieftain of the Doi Suthep area.  He wanted to marry her, but Chamadevi put him off on the grounds she was still weaning her twin sons.  After several years, this excuse was no longer tenable and Viranga’s Lawa army attacked Haripunchai.  Chamadevi’s sons commanded the defense and when the assault reached the city walls used Blackie Purple and his magic tusks to repel the attack.  Unfortunately, the elephant died in the battle.

King Viranga's first throw of the spear

       Stripped of her major defensive asset, Chamadevi opted for a new ploy.  She informed her suitor that if he could hurl a spear from Doi Suthep to within the city of Haripunchai, she would agree to marry him.  The Lawa chieftain then called upon his supernatural powers and hurled his spear all the way to Haripunchai and it landed just outside the city walls.  The deal was that he could get three tries, so now Chamadevi was truly alarmed.

       So she sent him as a present a special cloth turban, which was actually made from her undergarments and soiled by her menstrual blood, designed to negate and cancel out whatever supernatural powers he had.   Flattered by the gift, convinced he was already winning her over, the Lawa chief immediately donned the turban and made ready for his second throw.  This time his spear fell at the bottom of Doi Suthep.  Realizing he had been tricked, he threw his last spear straight up into the sky.  And when it fell it pierced his heart and killed him. The rest of the Lawa tendered their submission and from then on Chamadevi’s realm was secure.

       Incidents of Chamadevi’s life, both historical, like the journey from Lawo to Haripunchai, and legendary, such as the Lawa chieftain’s spear throw and Blackie Purple destroying the Lawa assault, have been depicted in the interior murals of Wat Chamadevi and the ordination hall of Wat Prayeun, east of the city.

Chedi Suwan Chang Kot

Buddha images embellishing the chedi

       All legends aside, Haripunchai’s first queen definitely succeeded in establishing a firm foundation for the state.  Its parent Lawo fell under Khmer control in the early 9^th century, but Haripunchai maintained its independence and reached its peak in the early 12^th century under King Aditayaraj, who repelled three Khmer invasions.  Following this, to celebrate his victory he had a 50-meter high chedi built over the Buddha relic at Wat Haripunchai, the city’s most important temple, as well as a chedi in the compound of Wat Kukut, dedicated to Chamadevi. 

the compound of Wat Haripunchai

       The original collapsed in an earthquake.  In 1218 King Saphsit had it rebuilt and that is the structure still standing today.  Called Chedi Suwan Chang Kot, it is a stepped pyramid on a square base, 21 meters high, of brick and stucco.  Each side of its five tiers features three sculptures of standing Buddhas, relatively well preserved, making 60 altogether.

       Around the corner of the modern temple building is Chedi Ratana, erected the same year.  Similar in style, but on a hexagonal base and only 11.5 meters high, it has standing Buddha sculptures only in the niches on the bottom level.  However, according to popular belief, Chedi Ratana contains the ashes of Queen Chamadevi.  Together, these two chedis are rare and outstanding examples of ancient Mon architecture in Thailand.            

       By King Saphsit’s time the kingdom had been at peace for nearly a century, enjoying its golden age.  Haripunchai was an important post on the trading network connecting areas to the north and inside Burma with the Menam Chao Phya Valley further south.  But demographic changes were occurring already, as Tai Yuan began migrating into the area.  They had assimilated enough into Haripunchai society that some were even part of the nobility.  In 1258 a Tai Yuan faction overthrew the reigning monarch and installed one of its own as king.

the gong tower at Wat Haripunchai

       The change had no apparent effect on the state’s prosperity.  But three decades later that very prosperity aroused the cupidity of Mengrai, originally from Chiang Saen, who ruled a growing Tai Yuan state to the north, with its current capital in Chiang Rai.  While in Fang, to the west, he met several Haripunchai merchants and learned of the city’s wealth.  Believing he was not strong enough to take the fortified city by direct assault, he sent one of his own merchants, Ai Fa, to win the confidence of King Yi Ba and undermine the state’s defenses.

       Ai Fa succeeded so well he became Chief Minister and used that position to promote sedition and instigate chaos.  Mengrai then swooped down on Haripunchai and captured it in 1281.  For a couple of years he made the city his own capital.  Then he had a new city, Wiang Kum Kan, built near the Ping River several km south of present-day Chiang Mai.  His new capital copied the layout of Haripunchai, but it soon turned out it was subject to flooding.  In 1296 he moved locations to the plain at the base of Doi Suthep—Chiang Mai.

       Mengrai captured Haripunchai, but he didn’t sack it.  Though the state lost its independence it still had a profound influence on the character of Mengrai’s new Kingdom of Lanna.  Like Haripunchai and Wiang Kum Kan, Chiang Mai’s layout followed a geometric grid; square in this case rather than oval or rectangular, surrounded by a moat and brick walls.  The first chedi erected in the area, Chedi Liam outside Wiang Kum Kan, copied the style of Chedi Suwan Chang Kot in Wat Chamadevi.  The Lanna alphabet derived from the Mon script of Haripunchai.  The Mon kingdom’s monastic order became the one followed throughout Lanna.  And Wat Haripunchai abbots occasionally were appointed Chief Abbot for the kingdom.

eastern entrance, Wat Haripunchai

the gilded chedi of Wat Haripunchai

       In Lanna’s administrative order, Haripunchai, now called Lamphun, was part of the Inner Circle with Chiang Mai.  Areas beyond, such as Chiang Rai, Fang, Lampang, etc., constituted the Outer Circle and those on the periphery of Lanna’s borders were tributary states.  Lanna kings made regular visits to Wat Haripunchai and funds for its maintenance were always part of the royal budget.  In the late 14^th century King Saenmeuangma had its 50-meter high chedi covered in gold.  In 1418 the Mon-style Chedi Suwanna was added to the compound and in 1443 King Tilokaraja had the entire temple renovated.

Lamphun women at a temple fair

       In the early 16^th century Lanna began to lose its cohesion as a state and society.  In 1558 Burmese armies swept into northern Thailand, seized Chiang Mai after a three-day battle and extinguished the Kingdom of Lanna.  Burmese rule lasted over two centuries.  Until 1664 Lanna was semi-autonomous and local nobles ruled as deputies of the Burmese government.  After that it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Burma and Burmese administrators took over everywhere.

       This period witnessed increasing local resistance, especially after the mid-18^th century, and harsh retaliation, like emptying rebellious cities of their entire population.  When northern Thai forces, supported by Bangkok, finally expelled the Burmese later that century they found themselves in possession of a largely depopulated land.  The most pressing task was to find people to live in abandoned cities like Chiang Mai and Lamphun.

       This was an era of massive population transfers, not all of them willing ones.  Northern forces, for example, went all the way to Chieng Tung, in northeast Burma, to kidnap artisans and move them to Chiang Mai.  Tai Yong from Burma’s Shan State were brought to Lamphun, where their community still lives in the neighborhoods near the covered bridge and are famous for their weaving skills.

Loy Krathong balloon launch

Ku Chang, the elephant's chedi

       Lamphun officially marked its rebirth in 1805.  It never became much of a metropolis and today has only about 14,000 residents.  Probably very few, if any, can trace their family lineages back to the Mon citizens of Haripunchai.  Yet the Mon legacy and the cult of Chamadevi are very much part of the local identity.  Besides the popular Wat Chamadevi that honors her, ancient chedis, Ku Ma and Ku Chang, built for her horse and her war elephant (a unique phenomenon in Southeast Asia), still stand in a compound just northeast of the old town.  Devotees make regular visits here to honor her two animals and leave small sculptures of horses and elephants along the compound’s back wall.

Chamadevi Park

       Even more popular for local worshipers is the statue of Chamadevi just outside the southwest corner of the old town.  Depicting a very beautiful, almost voluptuous Queen Chamadevi, its erection dates to about 35 years ago.  Behind it is a long brick wall with low-relief sculptures of scenes from Haripunchai history.  Lamphun residents come here to make offerings throughout the day.

       Wat Haripunchai, one of the most famous temples in the north, also serves as a Lamphun community center.  Sometimes it is the venue for a local fair, highlighting a local craft like weaving or basketry.  Women dress up in traditional clothing and ornaments for these occasions, as well as for the year’s annual festivals, including one specific to Lamphun--the Longan Festival in August. 

       But the festival programs may differ a bit from elsewhere.  For Loy Krathong, for example, held for two days at full moon in November, Wat Haripunchai is the venue for a balloon-launching contest the morning of full moon day.  When the balloon ascends into the sky it releases small airplanes, rockets and smoke trails.  In the evening they float their krathongs in the moat around the old town, where some fancy large ones have already been placed.

       Lamphun’s sense of local pride is palpable to any visitor who spends some time there.  People are aware that for historical and cultural attractions Chiang Mai is much better endowed, which makes it such a popular travel destination.  Yet Lamphun’s people know that it was their own town, in its Haripunchai incarnation, that brought Buddhism, literacy, cities and civilization itself to northern Thailand.  Lamphun deserves its pride.

traditional Lamphun ornament

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