Looking for my saffron cord at Phra Pathom Chedi
Nakhon Pathom
Thailand
November 26, 2008
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Chedi is the Thai term for a stupa,
a mound or steeple that contains Buddhist relics.
This one, about an hour northeast of Bangkok, is
the tallest in the world. The current structure
dates back to 1870, but archeaological evidence suggests
that there has been some kind of chedi here since the
4th century.
There's a little cave in the back. I think it's
manmade; there's a slightly "Splash Mountain" feel
about the smoothness of the corridors. When we visited
six years ago, a saffron-robed monk in one of its
chambers tied strips of saffron material around each
of our wrists -- good luck charms. On my wrist, he
tied a second bracelet, a saffron-colored cord,
for extra luck since, as
he pointed out, I was charged with caring for the other
three.
We kept them on, reasoning that it would be foolhardy
to relinquish the kind of good luck that may be dispensed
by Thai monks living in caves on the grounds of ancient
chedis. In the months that followed, the cloth bracelets
wore off for Jen, and then the girls. Mine lasted almost a year
before it broke. But the saffron cord endured, through years
of sleep and play, showers and swimming, business meetings and
overnight flights. I was amazed at its durability. In the rope
aisle at Friedman Bros, I spotted the cord and discovered
I was wearing 70-lb test, guaranteed for a lifetime. I began to think
it would last that long but it finally broke on me earlier this year,
nearly six years after the monk had tied it on. I have to
admit, I felt a little exposed without it.
So it was with high hopes that I descended into the cave
this time, looking for my monk and a refill of saffron-colored
luck. Unfortunately, he wasn't there. Another attendant showed
us around, accepted our donations, and wished us well. Before
I went, I tried to explain about the cord, gesturing a bracelet
around my wrist as I scanned for strips of saffron cloth.
He thought that was a nice story, what he could make of it, and
nodded and smiled.
I suppose it's a lesson of some kind, that I don't need the bracelet
so much anymore. But I have to say, I would not have minded
a fresh cord to help ensure that the next six years will be as lucky and
wonderful as the past six.
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