Nangkwak | ||
Nangkwak is a very well-known
Thai folkloric fortune goddess. Her right hand lifts up in a
posture"calling" money to come in or calling clients to come closer and buy
goods.So many Thai shopowners and street pedlars worship Nangkwak as a great fortune magnet. |
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An old bronze Nankwak with attractive sculptural design. | ||
Nangkwak figures
were first built by bronze casting dated back to the
early of Ratanakosin period or some 180 years ago, contemporarily with Ratanakosin bronze Buddha images. Before and after WWII there were also many magic-guru monks made Nangkwak figures from various materials such as bronze, holy-powder plaster, wood, buffalo horn and ivory tusk etc. Nangkwak story in Thai mythology related to the Thai-version
Ramayana epic. Nangkwak was the only daughter of a great saint named Pooh Chao
Khao Khieu who had friendship with a demon |
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LEFT: Bronze Nangkwak ,Wat Hua Kao Temple MIDDLE: Holy-powder Nangkwak brushed in colors,Wat Klang Banghkaew Temple. RIGHT: Bronze Nangkwak ,Wat Suthat Temple. |
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Rama met his
enemy Unaraj accidentally while he was seeking his lover Sida. Rama launched his
magic arrow fixed the demon at place. Unaraj's daughter named Prachand took
care of her paralyzed father since then. People strongly hated Unaraj and vowed to revenge him for his past cruelties while his daughter Prachand was also shunned . |
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An ivory tusk carving Nangkwak ,Wat Nong Pho Temple. The essence of Nangkwak magic script, Na-Cha-Li-Ti, carved on the back. |
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Pooh Chao Khao
Khieu had heard that unpleasant news and sent his only daughter
named "Nangkwak" to be Prachand's friend-in-escort. Marvelous enough, people turned back to pay benevolence to Prachand and brought a lot of eatables and valuables for the two ever since. The appearance of Nangkwak came simultaneously with bonanzas! Thai sellers worship her as a goddess of fortune. Nangkwak figures have popularly been made both large size for house altar, and small size for neck hanging. NA-SHA-LI-TI is a 4-syllable mantra of Nangkwak praying for the good luck and fortune to come. It's very effective if you pray with a concentrated mind. |
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LEFT: sacred-powder Nangkwak of Wat Dhai Talad, made in the early of Ratanakosin period . RIGHT: An old Nangkwak medal . |
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