Nagas at the Founding of Luang Prabang
Naga and Ngeuak are water spirits that live in the rivers and ponds as well as underground. Naga are generally benevolent and act as faithful guardians so long as they are shown due respect. Ngeuak on the other hand may be malevolent and are often associated with drownings, so must be propitiated with offerings.
A visitor to Luang Prabang will notice that many stairways into the temples have naga sculptures guarding the entrance to these sacred spaces, as does the pathway up to the top of Mount Phousi. Many of the town's major festivals involve paying respects to the naga, especially Phi Mai (Lao New Year), the boat races and Boun Lai Heau Fai (The Fire-Boat festival). |
According to local tradition Luang Prabang was founded by two hermits who travelled down the Mekong river from Tibet. On reaching the mouth of the Nam Khan River they saw at the tip of the peninsular a beautiful Thong or Flame tree that flowered all year round and they decided to found a city there. After establishing the site of the new kingdom the hermits summoned eleven naga and four ngeuak onto the rock Kon Kai Fah ("Rock Bridging the Sky") at the mouth of the Nam Khan river and requested that these spirits guard and protect the kingdom in the future. the Luang Prabang monarchy was hence known as the Fifteen Naga Dynasty.
Thao Sisatanak
Below Mount Phousi in the middle of the town lives the giant seven headed naga Thao Sisatanak. The golden That Chomsi on the peak of the hill is believed to stand on the back of the Thao Sisatanak, his eye was once considered to be located in a pond where Wat Nong now stands and his tail reaches to the Nam Dong river. Not only does he look over the town of Luang Prabang but he also guards the Buddha footprint that can be found on the slopes of Mount Phousi. At the back of the base of That Chomsi a crevice in the rock leads to the subterranean abode of Thao Sisatanak. A shrine to the naga spirit can also been seen at the base of Mount Phousi on the road by the Nam Khan river.
Every year during the Phi Mai festivities long naga lanterns are carried down from Phousi into the former Royal Palace where they are paraded around the naga pond within the palace grounds, a place noted for its sacred naga spirits. This represents Thao Sisatanak coming down each New Years Day to meet his wife the nagi and assure the prosperity of the kingdom.
Nang Dam and Nang Done, the Black and White Queens
Two important ngeuak are Nang Done the White Queen, and Nang Dam the Black Queen. These two spirits are believed to have once been the main and minor wife of the King. The King was famed for his sacred powers but every month at the time of the full moon he would shut himself away for seven days with strict instructions that nobody was to enter his chamber. One day the two wives crept into the King's quarters during the full moon period to spy upon him and found to their shock that he had taken on the form of a naga. When they screamed out the naga king slipped quickly into the palace pond and hence out to the Mekong. The two wives sat on the riverbank looking for him but the king of the naga Phaya Nak swept them into the river with his tail where they became ngeuak. Nang Done fell into a whirlpool at Khok Heua below Vat Chomphet and now guards this point. Nang Dam similarly guards Khok Thon opposite Houai Hop stream south of the town.
Meanwhile the King who slipped away into the Mekong River became the guardian spirit Ai Thong Kouang Kwang who now resides at the mouth of the Nam Khan. In times past buffalo were sacrificed to this powerful ngeuk but this practice has been stopped.
At the start of the annual boat races boat crews from the village Ban Xieng Mene, which lies across the river from the former royal palace, race two boats to honour the two ngeuak spirits of Nang Dam and Nang Done, dressed in black and white respectively. The white queen's boat always wins this ritual race. Prior to their race they come to pay their respects to Ai Thong Kouang Kwang at Kon Kai Fah rock. All the other boat crews follow them in make offerings here prior to starting the races.
Other Important Naga
The fourth ngeuak resides just upriver from the old Tha Xang, Elephant Pier behind the royal palace, now the ramp where the car ferry crosses the river. This is the location of Nang Pom Feua, "the lady with ruffled hair". The royal tragedy of 1931 described in the next section was preceded by sightings of Nang Pom Feua stirring up the water near Tha Xang and making hissing sounds.
Further down the Mekong river on the left bank the naga Chai Chamnong resides at the rock at the mouth of Houai Hop, guarding the southern Buddha's footprint of Vat Phabath Tai .
The northern approach to Luang Prabang is guarded by Thao Kham Hieo who resides in the Mekong river about 500m up river from the mouth of the Nam Khan. Further north Thao Khamtaen lives at Pha Xeuang rock at the mouth of the Nam Xeuang River and Thao Boun Youang lives at Kone Meed Aen rock opposite the mouth of the Nam Ou river
The southern end of the town is guarded by Ousou Phranak who lives at the mouth of the Nam Dong River. Just a short distance down river and on the opposite side lives Thao Chong Loua at the mouth of the Houai Mood river near Ban Chan
The southern end of the town is guarded by Ousou Phranak who lives at the mouth of the Nam Dong River. Just a short distance down river and on the opposite side lives Thao Chong Loua at the mouth of the Houai Mood river near Ban Chan
To the south-east on the left bank of the Nam Khan river near the Old French Bridge lives Thao Kham La. To the north of the Nam Khan Thao Khampang lives on the summit of Phou Xang (Now overlooking the airport) whilst south of the Nam Khan lives Thao Khampang on the top of Phou Xuang.
Tragedy in the Kingdom
Whilst naga are presented in the festivals as bright and cheerful serpents their darker side is well known to locals, reminded each time there is a drowning at one of the naga/ngeuk locations. In particular a tragedy befell the royal family in 1931 when a boating accident on the Mekong resulted in the deaths of twelve of King Sisavangvong's children. The accident happened at Pha Seua, north of the confluence with the Nam Khan, the traditional location of the naga Thao Kham Hieo.
According to the court historian Tiao Khammanh Vongkot Rattana all the commoners on the boat survived. The anger of the naga was attributed to the king's decision just three weeks earlier to remove Buddhist artefacts from That Makmo which was undergoing reconstruction at that time. |
Map of Naga Locations
Slideshow
Note
There are many variations to be found in the local stories about the naga. The information in this article on naga and their location is predominantly taken from the excellent book "The Enduring Sacred Landscape of the Naga" by Mayoury & Pheuiphanh Ngaosrivathana (See Books) which in turn is following Archaimbault's 1972 list dating from the early 19th century.
There are many variations to be found in the local stories about the naga. The information in this article on naga and their location is predominantly taken from the excellent book "The Enduring Sacred Landscape of the Naga" by Mayoury & Pheuiphanh Ngaosrivathana (See Books) which in turn is following Archaimbault's 1972 list dating from the early 19th century.