ตำนานแร้งและเปรตแห่งพระนคร

The rhyming saying, *"Vultures of Wat Saket, ghosts of Wat Suthat,"* is a famous legend among Bangkokians, stemming from historical events, folklore, and past artwork, as follows: *1. The Legend of the Vultures of Wat Saket* It originates from the tragic **"Great Plague"**, or cholera (formerly known as the plague or great epidemic), during the early Rattanakosin period. *The Plague Event:* The most severe outbreak occurred during the reign of King Rama II (1820), resulting in over 30,000 deaths. A similar severe outbreak occurred again during the reign of King Rama III (1849), which villagers called "the plague of the year of the rooster," causing massive casualties. *The Origin of the Vulture Flock:* According to ancient custom, cremation was forbidden within the city walls. Many corpses had to be transported out through the *"Ghost Gate"* (present-day Samran Rat area) to be cremated at Wat Saket Ratchaworamahaviharn, the temple closest to the city walls. Due to the enormous number of deaths each day, there wasn't enough time to cremate or bury the bodies. Corpses were piled up all over the temple grounds. The stench and the decaying corpses attracted swarms of vultures, which devoured the remains, creating a gruesome sight that haunted the townspeople and giving rise to the phrase "Vultures of Wat Saket." *2. The Legend of the Ghosts of Wat Suthat* The story of the ghosts of Wat Suthat doesn't involve actual monstrous creatures like the vultures in historical accounts. Instead, it's a blend of art, imagination, and past social conditions, as follows: *Wall Paintings (The Most Concrete Evidence):* The main reason people associate Wat Suthat with ghosts stems from the *wall paintings* on the fourth pillar inside the main vihara of Wat Suthat Thep Wararam. These paintings depict "Kanjikasura Preta" (a hungry ghost lying down, thirsty and starving). In the painting, a monk is trying to pour water from his bowl for the ghost to drink, but the water cannot flow down its throat due to its karmic consequences. This image is so famous and distinctive that it has become an iconic image for the villagers. *Imagination from the shadow of the Giant Swing:* In the past, before electricity reached the area, there were rumors that at night or in the early morning, people often saw a tall, emaciated ghost standing in front of Wat Suthat. However, later analysis suggested that what the villagers saw and feared was actually the *"shadow of the Giant Swing"* standing majestically in front of the temple, cast by the fog or darkness. *A metaphor for the homeless and beggars:* Another socio-historical hypothesis is that in the past, the area in front of Wat Suthat (near the Giant Swing and the Brahmin temple) was often a gathering place for starving beggars, emaciated to the point of showing their ribs. People of that era used the term "Ghosts of Wat Suthat" to metaphorically describe these hungry beggars, which also appears in the satirical literary work *Raden Landai*. In summary, *"Vultures of Wat Saket"* originated from a tragic depiction of a past epidemic, while *"Ghosts of Wat Suthat"* stemmed from a spiritual metaphor conveyed through mural paintings, combined with the fear evoked by the shadow of the Giant Swing and the allegory of beggars in the past.