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RELIGION & MYTHOLOGY

 

 

 

  Churning of the Ocean of Milk

 

Thailand

A Thai representation of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk by the gods and demons, in which they placed Mandara, a spur of Mt. Meru, upside-down in the ocean and used the snake Ananta as a stirring rope.

 

 

  Churning of the Ocean of Milk

 

However, the heavy mountain started to sink in the soft mud of the sea floor. Thus, Vishnu incarnated as the tortoise Kurma (fig.) -his second avatar- to support the mountain with its carapace, thus preventing it from sinking any further (fig.). Whereas the demons are standing at the head of the snake, which is represented by a giant three-headed naga, the gods are holding the tail. It is said that they churned the Ocean of Milk for a thousand years, before they obtained the amrita. This statue, at Suwannaphum International Airport, is 21 metres long, 3 metres wide and 5.5 metres high, and was designed by Mr. Nikhom Phonyihyam (นิคม พลเยี่ยม) and created by the Fine Arts Department at the cost of 48 million baht.

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