Devian Art Snake Coils Woman I Takes Her Imto a Tree

30-second summary:

  • Naka Cave is located in Phu Langa National Park, Thailand.
  • The cavern is home to many mysterious myths and legends and is a hotspot for tourists every year.
  • Many of the legends come from the stone's appearance, which takes the course of a snake.
  • Buddhism plays a large office in many of the legends that appear around the cavern as serpent beings are considered to exist guardians of the water who alive in damp caves.
  • Every year, new parts of the cave that resemble snakes are discovered which fuel more stories to be told.

Are you lot sitting comfortably?  Skillful, because nosotros're going to tell you a story. It all happened long, long ago, in the mystical Kingdom of Rappata Nakhon, on the shores of the Khong Long Lake.

Prince Fahoong was tall, strong and handsome. Every man in the kingdom was proud to call him friend, and the girls all loved his dazzling smiling and the twinkle in his deep bluish eyes. But, similar virtually princes in these stories, Fahoong was lonely. He had all the riches in the earth – everything money could buy – simply he couldn't find his true love. What good were riches, when he had no-one to share them with?

One 24-hour interval, every bit the Prince was walking aimlessly through the wood along the shores of the Khong Long Lake, he heard a girl singing way off in the distance. He'd never heard the song earlier, but her voice was so sweet – and the words were so sad and melancholy – that he instantly fell in love with her. He ran in the management of the vocalism and looked high and low, simply the singing had stopped and the daughter was nowhere to exist seen.

He was about to turn around and go dorsum abode when he heard the audio of a daughter softly crying. He knew, deep in his heart, that information technology had to be the same daughter who was singing so beautifully, just moments before. All of a sudden, he saw a flash of a ruddy and green cape, merely behind a great tree, and ran towards it.  Again the girl was gone, but at his anxiety he saw that a serpent had shed its skin. He picked the skin upwardly and turned it around in his easily. He'd seen snakeskin before, but never with this strange pattern: for one one-half was coloured a brilliant red, while the other one-half was as green equally the leaves on the great tree…

Where is Naka Cave, Thailand?

Naka Cave (or Nāga Cave) is located in Phu Langka National Park which is in the Bueng Khong Long District of Bueng Kan Province, Thailand. Naka means 'serpent' in the Thai language, and the cave took its name from the texture of some stones in the area, which resembles the scaled skin of a ophidian.

Rocks outside Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's JourneyRocks exterior Naka Cave | Photograph Credit: Maggie'due south Journeying

In contempo months, videos and images have appeared which were taken from the surrounding area. I is supposedly a movie of the head of a mummified behemothic snake, but in actual fact this is a picture of a totally different rock germination found in Laos, in a wilderness area 10km from Ratchaburi.

Hither'south one of the many photos of that snakehead which we've downloaded from a 'fake news' website, and under that are  the 'keywords' that they've included with the video, in an endeavour to boost the number of hits they get to their folio. Every bit you can see, in that location'southward no mention of the word 'Lao people's democratic republic'.

Downloaded from fake news website | Photo Credit: UnknownDownloaded from fake news website | Photo Credit: Unknown | List of keywords: Giant ophidian, Giant serpent turn into stone, Snake mountain in Thailand, Giant snake at Naka Caves, Naka Cave, Naka caves, Viral behemothic snake, Snakes, Snake mountain, Thailand tourism, Thailand tourism spot, Thailad discovery, Giant serpent scale discovery, Behemothic ophidian discovered, Mysterious giant serpent at naka cave in Thailand, naka cave story, naka cave snake head and serpent scale stone, bueng kan province, cursed serpent, the biggest ophidian in the world, the biggest snake stone

In Buddhist lore, nāgas are half-human, half-ophidian beings that live in the netherworld and occasionally take human grade. They are considered to be guardians of the water, and often live in clammy caves by the water'due south edge.

A nāgi, female of the nāga serpents | Picture Credit: Bluemallo/Deviant ArtA nāgi, female of the nāga serpents | Moving picture Credit: Bluemallo/Deviant Art

According to a pop fable, the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand and Laos was said to be created by 2 nāga kings slithering through the expanse, thus creating the Mekong and the nearby Nan River.  Today, this area is part of the Phu Langka National Park.

The Phu Langka National Park

Lookout Pointg at Pha Ngoi | Photo Credit: Maggie's JourneyLookout Indicate at Pha Ngoi | Photograph Credit: Maggie's Journeying

The National Park includes layers of three mountains, spread forth the Mekong River. A popular tourist trail leads to the top of Pha Ngoi, a favourite picket point which gives stunning views of the Bhan Phaeng district and the Mekong River.

Naka Cavern is actually two kilometers under this lookout man point. Visitors to the site – including locals – rarely ventured beneath the colina, and and then the cave was a hidden jewel, only ever visited by a handful of people.

How to become to Naka Cave

To admission the cave, you lot commencement at the Chai Mong Kon temple. From the grounds of the temple, you must first ascend a rock staircase, protected by gaudily decorated nakas on either side. The summit of the staircase gives fashion to some rudimentary steel steps and somewhen a dirt path, which takes you to the cave entrance.

Two Naka guard the route to the cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Two Naka guard the road to the cavern | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

The trek to the cave archway is over i kilometre, all uphill, and not for the faint-hearted.  So permit's remainder for a while, and catch up with our friend Prince Fahoong…..

Want to salvage the planet?

Plastic pollution is covering the planet and is a tremendous threat to marine life. Do your role to help by traveling with a filter water bottle.

A filter water bottle is an constructive way of purifying h2o to remove any impurities or contaminants.

The Prince looked over again at the snakeskin in his hand. What could it mean?  Confused, he walked dorsum to the palace. He would ask his grandad, Rex Ue-Lue, near the strange daughter that he's only half-seen, and about her beautiful singing vocalisation. He was a wise man – some say he was the wisest man that had e'er lived. Surely he would know.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the great Khong Long Lake, a beautiful girl sat crying. Her name was Nakkarintrani, and she was crying because she was so sad nearly her life – information technology was so unfair. She had just been walking in the woods and  had seen the most handsome human being, with such a dazzling grinning and the deepest of deep blue optics. She was totally in beloved with him, simply she was sad considering she knew they could never be together.

Because Nakkarintrani had a secret. She was a nāgi – a ophidian that could accept human form. Her family came from the enchanted underworld of Patala Loka, a place filled with gilt and silver and rubies that were bigger than a human being's hand. Her male parent was Lord of the Naka, and the gods had tasked him with looking a fter all these riches, left behind by the souls of men who had died too early in boxing.

Over many centuries, the Naka people had built a excellent city to a higher place the basis, and they lived in palaces and houses just like humans. But they all knew the law – a Naka must never marry a human, or the gods would abound angry and take away all the gold and jewellery. Without these riches, the city would chop-chop become poor and the Naka people would starve and fade away to pettiness.

But Nakkarintrani had a plan. She would go to the woods and discover this boy over again. She would reveal her underground and tell him she was in love with him. If he felt the aforementioned about her, and then they would run away to a distant kingdom where nobody knew who she was – where nobody would intendance that she was a nāgi. 'Yes', she thought to herself, 'this is a good programme'. She rushed back to her room to pack up her possessions, a look of determination on her cute confront…

Bhuddist Mythology

The story we're telling has its roots in very ancient Buddhist mythology. Many early on civilisations believed that snakes were creatures sent by the gods as guardians to spiritual gateways. They saw the snake as a symbol of ability and strength, and most temples have carvings or statues of great serpents to serve as protection. Buddha is oft portrayed every bit sitting on the coils of Muchalinda, a smashing cobra, with the snake's giant hood protecting Buddha from the elements.

Buddha sitting on the coils of Muchalinda | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Buddha sitting on the coils of Muchalinda | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journeying

Inside The Naka Cave

Due to the electric current world epidemic and the need to maintain social distancing, the cave is currently non open for visitors. Still, friends of ours that publish a travel blog specialising in Thailand – chosen Maggie's Journey  – have given us permission to publish these photos, taken inside the cave before it was closed to the public.

Near the entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Near the entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

The outset image is an surface area nigh the entrance to the cavern, which has been decorated with Buddhist icons and statues. The Buddhists regard this a sacred place, and visitors often leave backside a token showing their devotion to Buddha.

The tiny entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
The tiny entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie'due south Journey

This shows the entrance to the cave. As yous tin can encounter, it's extremely tight and cramped – and this is deliberate. The National Park have decided not to brand any efforts to plow it into a major tourist allure, instead choosing to keep it in its original state.

Wooden stairs leading to the floor of Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Wooden stairs leading to the flooring of Naka Cavern | Photo Credit: Maggie'due south Journey

In one case you've negotiated the cramped archway, a set of wooden stairs lead to the floor of the cavern. At the pes of this staircase, natural lite diminishes to the indicate of almost total darkness, and then a torch is needed to explore any further.

This rock formation looks like the mouth of a serpent | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
This rock formation looks like the mouth of a snake | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journeying

The cave has many rock formations that seem to suggest the mouth and teeth of a big snake-like creature. Could these be just a natural occurrence, or are they really the mummified remains of an aboriginal animate being trapped in the cavern many centuries ago?

Ancient Buddhist cave art inside Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Aboriginal Buddhist cave art inside Naka Cavern | Photograph Credit: Maggie'southward Journeying

On the cavern walls are many paintings and decorations, which have however to be dated. This i shows a thai monk in traditional ceremonial robe, standing back to let a tiger by him. The tiger seems to be leaping, so is probably just about to assault another beast.

Organic folds of rock inside Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Organic folds of rock inside Naka Cave | Photograph Credit: Maggie's Journeying

The folds of crystallised rock hanging from the ceiling are very organic in appearance. They do look remarkably like the folded skin of an beast – possibly a snake?

Looks like something from Ridley Scott! | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Looks similar something from Ridley Scott! | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

Nosotros can't help merely wonder if Hans Ruedi Giger visited this cave; perhaps he was inspired past these foreign formations when he designed the creatures in the film Alien ….

Remarkably like snakeskin | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Looks like something from Ridley Scott! | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journeying

The concluding photo shows a texture found on the floor of the cave. Information technology'south resemblance to the scaly skin of a snake is uncanny! Information technology's not difficult to understand why ancient Buddhist monks, using this cavern for shelter, would make up one's mind that it must have been home to a behemothic serpent. But who could that serpent be? Allow's render to our story…

Nakkarintrani was so excited. Her plan had worked out better than she could have ever dreamed! She'd gone back to the wood and afterwards just a short wait, she'd met the boy again. He was even more than handsome than she remembered, and he wasn't simply an ordinary man – no, he was a Prince! Of course she was scared of telling him about her undercover – that she was a nāgi – but he'd told her that his love was steadfast and true, and he couldn't help but be in dearest with her for the rest of his life.

Later telling her this, they had shared their kickoff kiss. Whilst they kissed, a tiger had crept up behind them and it had suddenly leapt up at her – information technology's teeth just inches from her throat! In a heartbeat, Prince Fahoong had unleashed his sword and struck at the tiger'south human foot. The tiger had run off into the woods, howling in pain. Nakkarintrani had asked the Prince "why did yous not slay the beast, just only injure information technology'due south leg?" He replied that he couldn't behave to harm another living creature, no matter how dangerous it might appear.

In one case she'd heard this she knew that her instincts had been right: he was a good man. The very adjacent moment Prince Fahoong had taken her by the mitt, gazed at her with his deep blueish optics and asked if she would be his wife. She threw her arms around him and kissed him again – she was so overcome with joy that she'd almost forgotten to say "yes"!

A few days later, Toll Fahoong was pacing nervously outside the doors to his gramps's individual room, in the heart of the Royal Palace at Rappata Nakhon. Yesterday, he had told the sometime Rex that he'd met the dearest of his life and proposed union, simply that she was the daughter of the Lord of Naka, and that she was a nāgi. King Ue-Lue had dispatched a passenger to the Naka Kingdom, to request that Lord Naka travel to the Royal Palace for a very important matter. Correct at present they were both inside the room, discussing his hereafter behind closed doors.

Just when he thought he could bear it no longer, he heard his name called by one of the guards. "Prince Fahoong, the King Ue-Lue requests your presence. You lot may enter!" With that the doors were flung open and Fahoong entered the room, his heart beating so difficult he idea he must surely die.

Within the room, his gramps and the Naka Lord were sitting at a table, sharing a glass of Cha Yen, spiced with herbs from the Majestic Palace gardens. "Well, Fahoong my boy," his granddad started, "the Lord Naka and I take had a long give-and-take. He and I are agreed. You and your darling Nakkarintrani take our blessing to marry, but with one status. Yous may live here at the palace, but should anyone always discover her terrible hush-hush I will be forced to disown you, and banish the two of yous from my kingdom."

Fahoong was overjoyed to hear this, and hugged his quondam grandfather so hard information technology seemed his ribs night shatter. "Oh, give thanks you thank you thank y'all!" he exclaimed, laughing and twirling his grandfather circular and circular in the air. "You lot've no idea how happy I am, you've really no idea!" And with that, he kissed the sometime human on both cheeks, and made for the door.

But earlier he could step exterior, Lord Naka called after him. "PRINCE FAROONG! Practice non be in such a hurry! I have something that I must say." Faroong walked towards the Lord, aware for the first time how frightening he looked. "Hear me now," Lord Naka said, a threatening finger pointing towards the Prince. "I was Not in favour of this matrimony. Our laws forestall a nāga to marry a human being, particularly when that human is my one and only dearest girl. Merely she is young and she is in love, and she knows I volition not stand up in the style of her happiness. But should anyone Always find out who she really is, WHAT she actually is, then I have vowed to seek a terrible retribution on your grandfather's kingdom. Now become be married, but disregard my words at your peril!".

Faroong's smile left his lips in an instant and, with suitable deference, he turned and left the room, worrisome thoughts filling his troubled head. Just he wouldn't permit the Naka Lord'south words trouble him for long. He was marrying the nigh beautiful girl in the earth, and he had the approval of both his grandfather and the Lord Naka. Surely nothing could destroy his happiness….

Y'all may also similar to read: Most Unsafe Animals in Thailand

The Largest Serpent That E'er Lived!

Many people have suggested that the foreign formations inside the cave –  and the patterns of the rocks outside – are indeed the fossilised remains of a giant serpent. Not necessarily a nāga from Buddhist mythology, but instead the remains of the largest snake that ever roamed the earth  – the titanoboa.

Titanaboa lived in the Paleocene era, a period that lasted from virtually 66 to 56  million years ago. Information technology was first discovered when a PhD pupil, Edwin Cadena at Universidad del Rosario, Columbia, correctly identified some fossilised remains that were previously idea to belong to a crocodile. The snake, related to today's boa constrictor, was up to 42 anxiety long, and weighed over 1,130 tons.

Artist's reconstruction of Titanoboa, with humans shown for scale | Photo Credit: University of Florida
Artist'south reconstruction of Titanoboa, with humans shown for scale | Photo Credit: University of Florida

Whereas the serpent was indeed massive, it only grew to only over two feet wide, which is a far cry from the stone formations found outside the Naka Cave. Meaning, of class, that the rocks cannot exist the fossilised remains of Titanoboa. Of form information technology'due south logical that rock which covered a dead serpent would form a shell thicker than the snake itself, just it would never retain the scaly design, as found on the Naka rocks.

So – Giant Snakes, Mythical Serpents, or Just Rocks?

Nosotros're not geologists, paleontologists or students of ancient myths and legends, so we can't speak with any real certainty. Only, in our opinion it's nearly likely that some of the rock carvings within the cave are human being – a sort of homage to the patterns that were already there. However, information technology remains very unlikely that the rocks outside the cave are whatever sort of fossilised remains. The likely conclusion is that the scaly pattern on the rocks are simply that – patterns.

Only what nigh the snakehead rock? Well, we can report that it was found, on 9th June, simply a few steps away from the base of the mountain. To some it's simply a stone, but to others it confirms the ancient legends. The truth is, we'll never really know…

Snake head rock, discovered 9th June, 2020 | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Ophidian head stone, discovered ninth June, 2020 | Photo Credit: Maggie'south Journey

The wedding ceremony was a first-class affair and, past royal prescript, the celebrations lasted for seven days. Workers had toiled day and night to build a bridge over the Khong Long Lake and the people of Rattapa Nakhon and Nakarat travelled betwixt the ii cities; singing, dancing and filling their bellies with exotic food sent from kingdoms across the world. Everybody was happy for the married couple; well, most everybody.

A girl called Khulan, i of the chambermaids who worked at the Royal Palace, was very upset. She'd secretly been in honey with Prince Fahoong for many years, but at that place was footling chance that she could ever win his heart – he was a Prince and she was just a lowly servant. But she had kept on hoping that maybe, somehow, anytime… Merely now all hope was gone. She was upset and angry, and most of all she hated Fahoong's new wife.

Three years passed, and all was not well. Nakkarintrani had not produced a regal baby, and the people of Rattapa Nakhon grew displeased with her. They had no idea that she was a nāga – for her secret had been well kept – and and so they didn't empathise that she could never have a child. The ladies who worked at the palace called her 'Khwām pĕn h̄mạn', which ways arid or sterile, and they laughed at her every time she passed. Poor Nakkarintrani became pale and withdrawn, and spent most of her days in her bedroom, refusing to eat. She became so sick that she started to lose her ability to remain in human class, and would oftentimes plough back to a serpent when she knew she was lonely.

One morning, Khulan, the chambermaid, was sent to collect food from Nakkarintrani's bedroom, which remained uneaten from the night earlier. Khulan disliked this duty, for she still hated the Prince's wife with a passion. Khulan knocked on the door and, hearing no answer, she stepped into the bedroom. Simply she did not see Nakkarintrani in the bed – she saw a giant serpent!

Khulan screamed, and tried to run, but so she heard a strange vox coming from the bed – a horrible, hissing sound. "Pleassss don't exist sssscared, Khulan. It'sssss me, Nakkarintrani, your Princesssssss." No!, idea Khulan, it couldn't be! Fahoong'southward wife was a snake! She had to tell the Prince. He would have to annul the marriage, and he would be gratuitous to marry someone else. Peradventure that someone would be her, Khulan.

She ran out of the room, screaming "Where's the Prince? His wife is a snake! Where'southward the Prince? His wife is a snake!" She ran through all the rooms of the royal palace, and presently everybody had heard her. They all started to repeat her words – His wife is a serpent! Nakkarintrani'due south a snake!" – until at last the news reached the ear of the Male monarch. But not only the King. Considering today was the King's altogether, and he had invited Lord Naka to his birthday celebrations. The Lord Naka was furious! He jumped to his feet, and pointed a shaking finger at the King. " I told you!", he screamed. "I warned you what would happen! I should never accept immune that blasted hymeneals!" And with that he stormed out of the palace.

Later that night, the Lord returned, forth with all the soldiers of the Naka Kingdom. They arrived in all their fearsome splendour, all xx foot high and baring their venomous fangs, for they were all nāga – all of them serpents. The people of Rattapa Nakhon never stood a take chances, and watched in horror as their homes were burned and their palace came crashing down. Many of the people ran towards the bridge, hoping to escape the horror all around them. Simply, every bit presently equally they were half-way across, the Naka Lord ordered his soldiers to fire the bridge, and the poor Rattapians vicious to their death in the swirling waters below.

Lord of the Naka | Picture reproduced under Creative Commons Licence CC0of Warcraft
Lord of the Naka | Picture reproduced under Creative Commons Licence CC0

Within the space of a few hours, Ratttapa was no more. The urban center was burned to the ground, the people were either dead or had fled for their lives, and the Purple Palace had been reduced to a pile of rubble. King Ue-Lue took one last expect around the Kingdom that he had once loved and so much, and walked slowly and solemnly towards Lake Khong Long. He raised his optics to the heavens and shouted, so that all the gods could hear him: "As Buddha is my witness, I vow never to fix foot once again on dry land until my beautiful kingdom is restored." And with that, he took one step forrard and sank under the dark waters of the lake.

Long, long ago, in the mystical Kingdom of Rappata Nakhon, on the shores of the Khong Long Lake, the smashing king Ue-Lue disappeared without a trace. Did he drown on that terrible night, or was he cursed past the enchanted gods of Patala Loka; forever fated to alive under the waters of the Lake, until the twenty-four hours when his Kingdom rises from the ashes of its terrible destruction?

And what of Prince Fahoong, and his nāgi wife Nakkarintrani? Some say that they found a fashion beyond the lake that night and went to hide in a small cave, eventually dying of grief and hunger, just property hands until the end – as much in beloved as the day they kickoff met. And the locals – those that survived that terrible night – gave a name to that cave. They called it Naka.


More Thailand Travel Guides:

Nearly Dangerous Snakes in Thailand
Dress Code for Thailand Temples
Bottle Embankment Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan Nightlife

30-second summary:

  • Naka Cavern or the snake stone is located in Phu Langa National Park, Thailand.
  • The cave is home to many mysterious myths and legends and is a hotspot for tourists every year.
  • Many of the legends come up from the rock's advent, which takes the form of a snake.
  • Buddhism plays a large role in many of the legends that appear around the cavern as ophidian beings are considered to be guardians of the water who live in damp caves.
  • Every yr, new parts of the cave that resemble snakes are discovered which fuel more stories to exist told.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Good, considering we're going to tell you a story.

So, what is the story backside Naka cave Thailand?

It all happened long, long ago, in the mystical Kingdom of Rappata Nakhon, on the shores of the Khong Long Lake.

Prince Fahoong was tall, potent and handsome. Every man in the kingdom was proud to phone call him friend, and the girls all loved his dazzling smile and the twinkle in his deep blueish eyes. But, like nigh princes in these stories, Fahoong was lonely. He had all the riches in the world – everything coin could buy – simply he couldn't find his true love. What good were riches, when he had no-one to share them with?

1 day, as the Prince was walking aimlessly through the forest along the shores of the Khong Long Lake, he heard a girl singing way off in the distance. He'd never heard the song before, merely her vocalization was so sweetness – and the words were then sad and melancholy – that he instantly fell in love with her. He ran in the direction of the voice and looked high and depression, but the singing had stopped and the daughter was nowhere to be seen.

He was about to turn around and go back abode when he heard the audio of a daughter softly crying. He knew, deep in his heart, that it had to be the same daughter who was singing so beautifully, but moments before. Suddenly, he saw a flash of a ruby-red and dark-green cape, just behind a great tree, and ran towards it.  Once more the daughter was gone, but at his anxiety he saw that a snake had shed its peel. He picked the skin up and turned it around in his hands. He'd seen snakeskin before, but never with this strange pattern: for one half was coloured a brilliant crimson, while the other half was every bit green equally the leaves on the corking tree…

Where is Naka Cave, Thailand?

Naka Cavern (or Nāga Cave) is located in Phu Langka National Park which is in the Bueng Khong Long District of Bueng Kan Province, Thailand. Naka means 'serpent' in the Thai language, and the cavern took its proper noun from the texture of some stones in the area, which resembles the scaled peel of a snake.

Rocks outside Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's JourneyRocks outside Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

In contempo months, videos and images take appeared which were taken from the surrounding area. One is supposedly a movie of the head of a mummified giant serpent, but in actual fact this is a picture of a totally different rock formation plant in Laos, in a wilderness area 10km from Ratchaburi.

Hither's i of the many photos of that snakehead which we've downloaded from a 'fake news' website, and under that are  the 'keywords' that they've included with the video, in an attempt to boost the number of hits they get to their page. As you can see, there's no mention of the word 'Laos'.

Downloaded from fake news website | Photo Credit: UnknownDownloaded from news website | Photograph Credit: Unknown | List of keywords: Giant snake, Giant ophidian plow into stone, Snake mountain in Thailand, Giant serpent at Naka Caves, Naka Cave, Naka caves, Viral giant snake, Snakes, Snake mountain, Thailand tourism, Thailand tourism spot, Thailad discovery, Giant ophidian scale discovery, Giant serpent discovered, Mysterious giant snake at naka cave in Thailand, naka cave story, naka cave snake head and snake scale stone, bueng kan province, cursed snake, the biggest snake in the world, the biggest snake stone

In Buddhist lore, nāgas are one-half-human, half-serpent beings that live in the netherworld and occasionally take human form. They are considered to be guardians of the h2o, and often live in damp caves by the water'southward border.

A nāgi, female of the nāga serpents | Picture Credit: Bluemallo/Deviant ArtA nāgi, female of the nāga serpents | Film Credit: Bluemallo/Deviant Fine art

According to a popular legend, the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand and Lao people's democratic republic was said to be created past two nāga kings slithering through the area, thus creating the Mekong and the nearby Nan River.  Today, this area is function of the Phu Langka National Park.

The Phu Langka National Park

Lookout Pointg at Pha Ngoi | Photo Credit: Maggie's JourneyLookout Betoken at Pha Ngoi | Photo Credit: Maggie'due south Journey

The National Park includes layers of iii mountains, spread along the Mekong River. A pop tourist trail leads to the peak of Pha Ngoi, a favourite lookout bespeak which gives stunning views of the Bhan Phaeng district and the Mekong River.

Naka Cave is actually two kilometers under this lookout point. Visitors to the site – including locals – rarely ventured below the hill, then the cave was a hidden gem, merely ever visited by a handful of people.

How to get to Naka Cavern?

To access the cave, yous offset at the Chai Mong Kon temple. From the grounds of the temple, you must kickoff ascend a stone staircase, protected past gaudily decorated nakas on either side. The top of the staircase gives way to some rudimentary steel steps and somewhen a dirt path, which takes you lot to the cave entrance.

Two Naka guard the route to the cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Two Naka guard the road to the cave | Photo Credit: Maggie'southward Journeying

The expedition to the cave archway is over i kilometre, all uphill, and not for the faint-hearted.  And so let'southward rest for a while, and catch upward with our friend Prince Fahoong…..

The Prince looked again at the snakeskin in his manus. What could it hateful?  Dislocated, he walked back to the palace. He would inquire his grandfather, Male monarch Ue-Lue, nearly the foreign girl that he'southward merely half-seen, and about her cute singing vox. He was a wise man – some say he was the wisest homo that had always lived. Surely he would know.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the smashing Khong Long Lake, a beautiful girl saturday crying. Her name was Nakkarintrani, and she was crying because she was so sad about her life – it was so unfair. She had but been walking in the forest and  had seen the near handsome man, with such a dazzling smiling and the deepest of deep blue optics. She was totally in dearest with him, but she was deplorable because she knew they could never exist together.

Because Nakkarintrani had a hole-and-corner. She was a nāgi – a serpent that could have human form. Her family came from the enchanted underworld of Patala Loka, a identify filled with golden and silverish and rubies that were bigger than a human being's hand. Her father was Lord of the Naka, and the gods had tasked him with looking a fter all these riches, left backside past the souls of men who had died too early on in boxing.

Over many centuries, the Naka people had congenital a first-class city in a higher place the basis, and they lived in palaces and houses just like humans. Simply they all knew the police – a Naka must never marry a homo, or the gods would grow angry and take away all the gold and jewellery. Without these riches, the urban center would chop-chop get poor and the Naka people would starve and fade away to nothingness.

Only Nakkarintrani had a plan. She would get to the woods and find this boy again. She would reveal her secret and tell him she was in beloved with him. If he felt the aforementioned about her, and so they would run away to a distant kingdom where nobody knew who she was – where nobody would intendance that she was a nāgi. 'Yes', she idea to herself, 'this is a good plan'. She rushed back to her room to pack upwards her possessions, a expect of determination on her beautiful face…

Naka Cave Bhuddist Mythology

The story we're telling has its roots in very ancient Buddhist mythology. Many early civilisations believed that snakes were creatures sent by the gods every bit guardians to spiritual gateways. They saw the snake as a symbol of power and strength, and most temples have carvings or statues of great serpents to serve every bit protection. Buddha is often portrayed every bit sitting on the coils of Muchalinda, a peachy cobra, with the snake'southward giant hood protecting Buddha from the elements.

Buddha sitting on the coils of Muchalinda | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Buddha sitting on the coils of Muchalinda | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

What's within The Naka Cave?

Due to the current world epidemic and the need to maintain social distancing, the cave is currently not open for visitors. Notwithstanding, friends of ours that publish a travel web log specialising in Thailand – called Maggie's Journeying  – accept given us permission to publish these photos, taken inside the cave before it was closed to the public.

Near the entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Nigh the entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

The showtime image is an surface area near the entrance to the cave, which has been decorated with Buddhist icons and statues. The Buddhists regard this a sacred place, and visitors often leave behind a token showing their devotion to Buddha.

The tiny entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
The tiny entrance to Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journeying

This shows the entrance to the cavern. As you tin see, it's extremely tight and cramped – and this is deliberate. The National Park take decided non to brand any efforts to turn it into a major tourist attraction, instead choosing to go along it in its original country.

Wooden stairs leading to the floor of Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Wooden stairs leading to the flooring of Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journeying

In one case you've negotiated the cramped entrance, a set of wooden stairs lead to the floor of the cave. At the foot of this staircase, natural light diminishes to the point of almost total darkness, then a torch is needed to explore whatever further.

This rock formation looks like the mouth of a serpent | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
This rock formation looks like the mouth of a snake | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

The cavern has many rock formations that seem to suggest the mouth and teeth of a large snake-similar animate being. Could these exist just a natural occurrence, or are they really the mummified remains of an ancient beast trapped in the cave many centuries ago?

Ancient Buddhist cave art inside Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Ancient Buddhist cavern art inside Naka Cave | Photograph Credit: Maggie's Journey

On the cave walls are many paintings and decorations, which accept even so to exist dated. This one shows a thai monk in traditional ceremonial robe, continuing back to allow a tiger past him. The tiger seems to be leaping, so is probably but about to attack another animal.

Organic folds of rock inside Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Organic folds of rock within Naka Cave | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journeying

The folds of crystallised stone hanging from the ceiling are very organic in advent. They do wait remarkably like the folded skin of an animal – possibly a serpent?

Looks like something from Ridley Scott! | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Looks like something from Ridley Scott! | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey

We tin't help but wonder if Hans Ruedi Giger visited this cave; mayhap he was inspired by these strange formations when he designed the creatures in the film Alien ….

Remarkably like snakeskin | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Looks like something from Ridley Scott! | Photo Credit: Maggie'southward Journey

The last photo shows a texture plant on the floor of the cavern. It's resemblance to the scaly peel of a serpent is uncanny! It'south not difficult to sympathise why ancient Buddhist monks, using this cave for shelter, would make up one's mind that it must take been home to a giant ophidian. But who could that serpent be? Let'due south return to our story…

Nakkarintrani was so excited. Her plan had worked out improve than she could accept e'er dreamed! She'd gone back to the forest and after just a brusk wait, she'd met the boy again. He was even more handsome than she remembered, and he wasn't only an ordinary human being – no, he was a Prince! Of course she was scared of telling him about her undercover – that she was a nāgi – but he'd told her that his love was steadfast and true, and he couldn't assistance just be in love with her for the residue of his life.

Afterwards telling her this, they had shared their outset buss. Whilst they kissed, a tiger had crept up backside them and it had suddenly leapt up at her – information technology'due south teeth just inches from her throat! In a heartbeat, Prince Fahoong had unleashed his sword and struck at the tiger's pes. The tiger had run off into the forest, howling in pain. Nakkarintrani had asked the Prince "why did you not slay the beast, but just injure it's leg?" He replied that he couldn't bear to impairment another living creature, no affair how dangerous it might appear.

Once she'd heard this she knew that her instincts had been right: he was a adept human. The very next moment Prince Fahoong had taken her by the hand, gazed at her with his deep bluish eyes and asked if she would be his wife. She threw her arms effectually him and kissed him again – she was so overcome with joy that she'd almost forgotten to say "yeah"!

A few days subsequently, Toll Fahoong was pacing nervously outside the doors to his grandpa's private room, in the heart of the Royal Palace at Rappata Nakhon. Yesterday, he had told the onetime King that he'd met the love of his life and proposed wedlock, but that she was the girl of the Lord of Naka, and that she was a nāgi. Male monarch Ue-Lue had dispatched a rider to the Naka Kingdom, to request that Lord Naka travel to the Royal Palace for a very important matter. Correct now they were both inside the room, discussing his future behind closed doors.

Only when he idea he could bear it no longer, he heard his name chosen past one of the guards. "Prince Fahoong, the King Ue-Lue requests your presence. You may enter!" With that the doors were flung open and Fahoong entered the room, his eye beating so difficult he thought he must surely die.

Within the room, his grandfather and the Naka Lord were sitting at a table, sharing a drinking glass of Cha Yen, spiced with herbs from the Majestic Palace gardens. "Well, Fahoong my boy," his grandad started, "the Lord Naka and I take had a long discussion. He and I are agreed. You and your darling Nakkarintrani take our blessing to marry, but with i status. You may live here at the palace, only should anyone e'er discover her terrible secret I will be forced to disown you, and banish the two of you from my kingdom."

Fahoong was overjoyed to hear this, and hugged his old granddaddy and so hard it seemed his ribs dark shatter. "Oh, thank yous thank y'all thank you!" he exclaimed, laughing and twirling his granddaddy round and round in the air. "You've no idea how happy I am, you've really no idea!" And with that, he kissed the old human on both cheeks, and made for the door.

Simply before he could step outside, Lord Naka called after him. "PRINCE FAROONG! Exercise not be in such a hurry! I accept something that I must say." Faroong walked towards the Lord, aware for the first time how frightening he looked. "Hear me now," Lord Naka said, a threatening finger pointing towards the Prince. "I was NOT in favour of this matrimony. Our laws forbid a nāga to marry a human, particularly when that human being is my one and only dear daughter. But she is immature and she is in love, and she knows I will not stand up in the way of her happiness. But should anyone E'er find out who she actually is, WHAT she really is, and then I accept vowed to seek a terrible retribution on your grandfather's kingdom. At present go exist married, but condone my words at your peril!".

Faroong's smile left his lips in an instant and, with suitable deference, he turned and left the room, worrisome thoughts filling his troubled caput. Merely he wouldn't let the Naka Lord'due south words trouble him for long. He was marrying the about beautiful daughter in the world, and he had the approval of both his grandfather and the Lord Naka. Surely nothing could destroy his happiness….

You may also like to read: Virtually Unsafe Animals in Thailand

The Largest Snake That Ever Lived!

Many people accept suggested that the strange formations inside the cave –  and the patterns of the rocks outside – are indeed the fossilised remains of a giant snake. Not necessarily a nāga from Buddhist mythology, but instead the remains of the largest snake that ever roamed the earth  – the titanoboa.

Titanaboa lived in the Paleocene era, a period that lasted from almost 66 to 56  million years ago. It was first discovered when a PhD student, Edwin Cadena at Universidad del Rosario, Columbia, correctly identified some fossilised remains that were previously thought to belong to a crocodile. The ophidian, related to today's boa constrictor, was up to 42 feet long, and weighed over one,130 tons.

Artist's reconstruction of Titanoboa, with humans shown for scale | Photo Credit: University of Florida
Artist's reconstruction of Titanoboa, with humans shown for calibration | Photograph Credit: University of Florida

Whereas the snake was indeed massive, it only grew to just over ii feet broad, which is a far cry from the rock formations found outside the Naka Cave. Meaning, of course, that the rocks cannot be the fossilised remains of Titanoboa. Of course it's logical that rock which covered a dead snake would form a crush thicker than the serpent itself, merely it would never retain the scaly pattern, as institute on the Naka rocks.

So – Behemothic Snakes, Mythical Serpents, or Just Rocks?

We're non geologists, paleontologists or students of ancient myths and legends, so nosotros can't speak with whatsoever real certainty.

But, in our opinion it's most likely that some of the rock carvings inside the cavern are human – a sort of homage to the patterns that were already there.

However, it remains very unlikely that the rocks exterior the cave are any sort of fossilised remains. The probable conclusion is that the scaly pattern on the rocks are but that – patterns.

But what well-nigh the snakehead stone?

Well, we can report that it was plant, on 9th June, simply a few steps away from the base of the mountain.

Is snake rock existent?

To some it's just a rock, but to others it confirms the ancient legends. The truth is, we'll never really know…

Snake head rock, discovered 9th June, 2020 | Photo Credit: Maggie's Journey
Snake head rock, discovered 9th June, 2020 | Photo Credit: Maggie'south Journey

The wedding was a excellent affair and, by imperial decree, the celebrations lasted for vii days. Workers had toiled twenty-four hours and nighttime to build a bridge over the Khong Long Lake and the people of Rattapa Nakhon and Nakarat travelled betwixt the 2 cities; singing, dancing and filling their bellies with exotic food sent from kingdoms across the world. Everybody was happy for the married couple; well, most everybody.

A girl called Khulan, one of the chambermaids who worked at the Royal Palace, was very upset. She'd secretly been in love with Prince Fahoong for many years, but in that location was piddling chance that she could e'er win his heart – he was a Prince and she was just a lowly servant. But she had kept on hoping that maybe, somehow, someday… But now all hope was gone. She was upset and aroused, and most of all she hated Fahoong's new married woman.

Three years passed, and all was non well. Nakkarintrani had not produced a royal baby, and the people of Rattapa Nakhon grew displeased with her. They had no thought that she was a nāga – for her secret had been well kept – and so they didn't empathize that she could never have a child. The ladies who worked at the palace called her 'Khwām pĕn h̄mạn', which means barren or sterile, and they laughed at her every time she passed. Poor Nakkarintrani became pale and withdrawn, and spent most of her days in her bedroom, refusing to consume. She became so sick that she started to lose her ability to remain in human form, and would often turn back to a snake when she knew she was solitary.

One forenoon, Khulan, the chambermaid, was sent to collect nutrient from Nakkarintrani's bedroom, which remained uneaten from the dark before. Khulan disliked this duty, for she still hated the Prince'south married woman with a passion. Khulan knocked on the door and, hearing no reply, she stepped into the bedroom. But she did not run into Nakkarintrani in the bed – she saw a giant serpent!

Khulan screamed, and tried to run, but then she heard a foreign voice coming from the bed – a horrible, hissing sound. "Pleassss don't be sssscared, Khulan. It'sssss me, Nakkarintrani, your Princesssssss." No!, thought Khulan, it couldn't exist! Fahoong's wife was a snake! She had to tell the Prince. He would have to counteract the marriage, and he would be complimentary to marry someone else. Perhaps that someone would be her, Khulan.

She ran out of the room, screaming "Where's the Prince? His married woman is a snake! Where's the Prince? His wife is a snake!"

She ran through all the rooms of the royal palace, and presently everybody had heard her. They all started to repeat her words – His married woman is a serpent! Nakkarintrani's a snake!" – until at last the news reached the ear of the Rex. But not only the Rex. Considering today was the King's birthday, and he had invited Lord Naka to his birthday celebrations.

The Lord Naka was furious!

He jumped to his feet, and pointed a shaking finger at the King. " I told you!", he screamed. "I warned you lot what would happen! I should never have allowed that blasted wedding!"

And with that he stormed out of the palace.

Later that night, the Lord returned, along with all the soldiers of the Naka Kingdom. They arrived in all their fearsome splendour, all twenty foot high and baring their venomous fangs, for they were all nāga – all of them serpents. The people of Rattapa Nakhon never stood a take chances, and watched in horror as their homes were burned and their palace came crashing down. Many of the people ran towards the bridge, hoping to escape the horror all around them. Only, equally soon equally they were half-way across, the Naka Lord ordered his soldiers to burn down the span, and the poor Rattapians cruel to their death in the swirling waters below.

Lord of the Naka | Picture reproduced under Creative Commons Licence CC0of Warcraft
Lord of the Naka | Picture reproduced under Artistic Eatables Licence CC0

Inside the infinite of a few hours, Ratttapa was no more. The city was burned to the basis, the people were either dead or had fled for their lives, and the Royal Palace had been reduced to a pile of rubble. King Ue-Lue took one last look around the Kingdom that he had once loved so much, and walked slowly and solemnly towards Lake Khong Long. He raised his optics to the heavens and shouted, so that all the gods could hear him: "As Buddha is my witness, I vow never to set foot once again on dry out country until my beautiful kingdom is restored." And with that, he took one stride forward and sank under the dark waters of the lake.

Long, long ago, in the mystical Kingdom of Rappata Nakhon, on the shores of the Khong Long Lake, the great king Ue-Lue disappeared without a trace. Did he drown on that terrible night, or was he cursed past the enchanted gods of Patala Loka; forever blighted to live under the waters of the Lake, until the solar day when his Kingdom rises from the ashes of its terrible destruction?

And what of Prince Fahoong, and his nāgi wife Nakkarintrani? Some say that they found a way beyond the lake that night and went to hide in a small cave, eventually dying of grief and hunger, simply holding hands until the end – as much in love every bit the 24-hour interval they offset met. And the locals – those that survived that terrible dark – gave a proper noun to that cave. They called information technology Naka or the naga cave.


More Thailand Travel Guides:

Most Dangerous Snakes in Thailand
Dress Code for Thailand Temples
Bottle Embankment Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan Nightlife

delgadodair1985.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.journeyingtheglobe.com/legends-of-naka-cave-thailand/

0 Response to "Devian Art Snake Coils Woman I Takes Her Imto a Tree"

Post a Comment

Iklan Atas Artikel

Iklan Tengah Artikel 1

Iklan Tengah Artikel 2

Iklan Bawah Artikel