I'm feeling under the weather today, though not quite on death's door, and as I've not been able to sleep I've been making use of these wakeful hours by reading (which often soothes me back to slumber).
The British Library blog continues to be a fantastic source of curious information, recently writing a piece on Thai funeral rites and practices for royal figures. These regal ceremonies are involved to say the least.
Once the person had passed away the body was cleaned and covered with a funeral cloth called pamsukula. A bathing rite, in which relatives poured scented water over the right hand, took place before the hands were put together in front of the chest and long white strings were tied around the wrists and ankles of the deceased. The ends of the strings were held by four monks who chanted a selection of Buddhist texts or delivered sermons. Occasionally, the monks could recite and perform the legendary story of the monk Phra Malai during a wake at the family home of the deceased.
I highly recommend you go and read the full article while I recover in bed.
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