5,230 traditional dancers perform in honour of King Narai the Great
As many as 5,230 dancers, dressed in yellow and green, performed in front of King Narai’s statue in the heart of Lopburi’s Muang district to mark the great king’s birthday.
The performance on Friday evening was part of the “Land of King Narai the Great Festival 2024”, an annual festival held to celebrate the life and times of King Narai the Great (1632-1688), the 27th king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
Governor Amphol Angkhapakornkul along with other provincial officials and community representatives also placed decorated trays in respect of the king on Friday evening. The evening wrapped up with the crowd singing the royal anthem in front of a portrait of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn to mark his 72nd birthday, well before the actual date on July 28.
The roundabout where King Narai’s statue is located was closed to traffic, so the performers could demonstrate their skills freely. The dancers were dressed in yellow and green – yellow to represent the day of King Narai’s birth (Monday) and green to signify the fertility of Lavo Thai (Lopburi).
The celebrations, marked with light and sound shows, colourful floats, performances, games, etc, opened on February 9 and will wrap up on Monday.
During his reign, King Narai the Great developed Lopburi to the north of Ayutthaya as a secondary capital and built a palace called the Phra Narai Ratchanivet in 1666. The king usually retreated to this palace for relaxation, hunting, administering the country's affairs, and welcoming visitors. The palace is now a historical park and national museum housing artefacts and archaeological evidence from the Ayutthaya era.
