) , native_name = บ้านโกรงเกรง , nickname = , settlement_type = Village , motto = , image_skyline = 01 Wat Grong Greng Pagoda.JPG , imagesize = , image_caption = Chedi at Wat Grung See Jayrin, Ban Grong Greng , image_flag = , flag_size = , image_seal = , seal_size = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = , mapsize1 = , map_caption1 = , pushpin_map =Thailand , subdivision_type3 = Subdistrict , subdivision_name3 =

Nakhon Pa Mak ) , native_name = นครป่าหมาก , nickname = , settlement_type = Tambon , motto = , image_skyline = 06 Han With Fish in Ban Dongphayom.JPG , imagesize = , ima ...

, subdivision_type2 = District , subdivision_name2 =

Bang Krathum District Bang Krathum ( th, บางกระทุ่ม, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in the Phitsanulok province, Thailand. Etymology ''Bang'' ( th, บาง) means 'village' or 'settlement'. The second element ''krathum'' ( th, กระทุ่ ...

, subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 =

Phitsanulok Phitsanulok ( th, พิษณุโลก, ) is an important, historic city in lower northern Thailand and is the capital of Phitsanulok Province. Phitsanulok is home to Naresuan University and Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, as well as ...

, subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name =

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

, government_footnotes = , government_type = , leader_title = , leader_name = , established_title = , established_date = , established_title2 = , established_date2 = , established_title3 = , established_date3 = , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = 20.9 , area_water_km2 = , area_water_percent = , area_urban_km2 = , area_metro_km2 = , area_blank1_title = Agricultural use , area_blank1_km2 = 14.1 , population_as_of = 2005 , population_footnotes = , population_note = , population_total = 1,881 , population_density_km2 = 90 , population_metro = , population_density_metro_km2 = , population_urban = , population_density_urban_km2 = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , population_density_blank1_km2 = , timezone = ICT , utc_offset = +7 , coordinates = , elevation_footnotes = , elevation_m = , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 65110 , area_code = , blank_name = Chief watercourse , blank_info = Canal to

Ban Sam Ruen ) , native_name = บ้านสามเรือน , nickname = , settlement_type = Village , motto = , image_skyline = 02 Villagers on Ban Sam Ruen Farm.JPG , imagesize = ...

, blank1_name = , blank1_info = , website = , footnotes = Ban Grong Greng ( th, บ้านโกรงเกรง) is a rural village in the north-west portion of the

Nakhon Pa Mak ) , native_name = นครป่าหมาก , nickname = , settlement_type = Tambon , motto = , image_skyline = 06 Han With Fish in Ban Dongphayom.JPG , imagesize = , ima ...

Subdistrict of

of Phitsanulok Province,

Etymology

The first element of its name is ''ban'' (Thai: บ้าน) means 'village'.Thai/English Dictionary
The second element, ''grong'' (Thai: โกรง) is an

onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia is the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes. Such a word itself is also called an onomatopoeia. Common onomatopoeias include animal noises such as ''oink'', ''m ...

for the sound of a

gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...

, analogous to the word 'gong' in English. The third element, ''greng'' (Thai: เกรง), means 'dread'. Loosely translated, ''Ban Grong Greng'' means 'village of the dreaded gong'. This is because a gong is beaten during

funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...

processions at the village's temple in accordance with the local custom. The name Grong Greng is an example of an

alliteration Alliteration is the conspicuous repetition of initial consonant sounds of nearby words in a phrase, often used as a literary device. A familiar example is "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers". Alliteration is used poetically in various ...

Geography

Ban Grong Greng is near the center of

Nakhon Pa Mak ) , native_name = นครป่าหมาก , nickname = , settlement_type = Tambon , motto = , image_skyline = 06 Han With Fish in Ban Dongphayom.JPG , imagesize = , ima ...

on a canal which meets the

Wang Thong River The Wang Thong River ( th, แคววังทอง, , , also known as the ''Khek River'') is a river in Thailand. Its source lies in the Phetchabun Mountains in the Khao Kho District, Thailand.

Ban Sam Ruen ) , native_name = บ้านสามเรือน , nickname = , settlement_type = Village , motto = , image_skyline = 02 Villagers on Ban Sam Ruen Farm.JPG , imagesize = ...

. This canal comes to a fork at Ban Grong Greng where another canal leads to

Ban Dongphayom ) , native_name = บ้านดงพยอม , nickname = , settlement_type = Village , motto = , image_skyline = 03 Dongphayom House (June 29 2000).jpg , imagesize = , ...

and beyond.Google Earth Ban Grong Greng lies in the Nan Basin, which is part of the Chao Phraya Watershed. Ban Grong Greng has the greatest population of the eight villages in Nakhon Pa Mak, and it encompasses the largest area as well.

Wat Grung See Jayrin

Wat Grung See Jayrin (Thai: วัดกรุงศรีเจริญ), which means 'temple of the city of renowned progress', is more commonly referred to simply as ''Wat Grong Greng'' (Thai: วัดโกรงเกรง).Wat Grong Greng on WebWat.net
Thai) This

Theravada ''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...

Buddhist temple is where villagers of Ban Grong Greng and surrounding villages hold their funeral ceremonies. Funerals at Wat Grong Greng involve a procession around the temple,

chanting A chant (from French ', from Latin ', "to sing") is the iterative speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two main pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes ...

meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...

, and cremation of the deceased's body. Prior to a funeral at Grong Greng, families typically hold a wake in the deceased's home where family, friends and neighbors can pay their respects to the deceased. Items brought to the wake, such as flower arrangements,

photographs A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now created ...

of the deceased, and mementos from the deceased's life are carried in the funeral procession. Black clothing is customarily worn by those in mourning, if available. Religious activities and ceremonies other than funerals are typically held at nearby Wat Sam Ruen in

Ban Sam Ruen ) , native_name = บ้านสามเรือน , nickname = , settlement_type = Village , motto = , image_skyline = 02 Villagers on Ban Sam Ruen Farm.JPG , imagesize = ...

Architecture

The style of the chedi at Wat Grung See Jayrin is influenced by earlier Thai pagodas, such as those found in the ruins of Ayutthaya. This style was imported from

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

during the rule of King

Ramkhamhaeng the Great Ram Khamhaeng ( th, รามคำแหง, ) or Pho Khun Ram Khamhaeng Maharat ( th, พ่อขุนรามคำแหงมหาราช, ), also spelled Ramkhamhaeng, was the third king of the Phra Ruang Dynasty, ruling the Sukhoth ...

along with

Buddhism. Later, King

Ramathibodi I King U-thongThe Royal Institute. List of monarchs Ayutthaya''. ( th, พระเจ้าอู่ทอง) or King Ramathibodi I ( th, สมเด็จพระรามาธิบดีที่ ๑ ; 1314–1369) was the first king of ...

went on to make Theravada Buddhism the official religion of the kingdom of Ayutthaya.Thailand - History
/ref> The ceremonial funeral chants at Wat Grong Greng are in

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...

, the language of prayer of the Ceylonese Buddhist monastic community, members of which Ramkhamhaeng imported from Sri Lanka to teach Theravada Buddhism to his subjects in Thailand. Similar architecture can be found in

Anuradhapura Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...

, Sri Lanka.

Wat Grung See Jayrin School

Wat Grung See Jayrin School, at Wat Grung See Jayrin, is one of Nakhon Pa Mak's four elementary schools.

Literary references

A Wat Grong Greng is mentioned in a work entitled เรื่องจริงอิงนิทาน เล่ม 1 (which loosely translates to first book of traditionally passed down stories) by Rasilingdam (Thai: ฤาษีลิงดำ). เรื่องจริงอิงนิทาน เล่ม 1 at Putthapoom.com
Thai)

References

{{commons category, Ban Grong Greng Populated places in Phitsanulok province