Merit making ceremony for relics of HM late King Bhumibol held

BANGKOK, Oct 28 (TNA) -- A royal merit-making ceremony for the Royal Relics of His Majesty late King Bhumibol will be held this late afternoon at Dusit Maha Prasad Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace. His Majesty the King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun will preside over a merit-making ceremony and pay respects to the royal relics. On Sunday, the ceremony is scheduled to start with the religious rite and food offering to monks. Then, at 10.30am, the golden urn holding the relics will be transferred from Dusit Maha Prasad Throne Hall upon the Royal Palaquin with Four Pole or Rajendrayan (Palanquin with Busabok Throne) to be enshrined in the Heavenly Abode in Chakri Maha Prasad Throne Hall where it will be kept permanently. Later, on the same day, at 5.30pm, the Royal Ashes in the cone-shaped container will be moved from Phra Sri Rattana Chedi in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to enshrine at two temples, namely Wat Rajabophit and Wat Bowonniwet Vihara. Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana would part in this procession of honour, leading the King's Guard cavalry mounted on a royal horse. The princess, who is adept at horse riding and has represented Thailand in equestrian competitions, would lead the cavalry which is made up of 77 mounted soldiers from the 29th Cavalry Battalion, to the two temples. Her horse, which is named "W-Calata", is a white German-bred mare trained for equestrian use. The procession is made of 77 mounted soldiers divided in two groups. The lead group comprises 44 officers including a section of six buglers, one commanding officer, and four officers carrying the unit's colours. They are followed by the second group of 33 cavalry officers. The cavalry unit conveys a royal limousine carrying the royal ashes container from Phra Si Rattana Chedi via Viset Chaisri Gate to Wat Rachabopit and Wat Bowonniwet Vihara. This procession was the sixth and the last procession of honour for His Majesty late King Bhumibol's cremation ceremonies. (TNA)