| Immortalized in a glass mosaic located
in the Throne Room of the former Royal Palace in Luang Prabang, the legend of Khun Borom
parallels historical accounts of the migration of the Tai people, of which the Lao are
considered to be a main branch. According to this popular legend, the heavenly
kingdoms were once ruled by powerful Gods, which, as a gesture of goodwill, would
occasionally send someone to reign over the lesser earthly realms. It was for this purpose that Khun Borom, the son
of the Heavenly God Phaya Then, descended to the earthly realm on a royal elephant
distinguished by its crossed tusks. Upon landing at an uninhabited place known as Na
Noi Oi Nu (small rice field) in the vicinity of Muang Then (City of Gods), believed to be
located in present day northwestern Vietnam, Phaya Then provided Khun Borom with an axe
and a buffalo as a means to initiate agriculture. Upon traveling to Xieng Dong-Xieng
Thong, a former settlement on the present day site of Luang Prabang, the local inhabitants
accepted Khun Borom's offering of the buffalo and agriculture subsequently commenced.
The settlement flourished, however, as a result of numerous adverse deeds committed
by the inhabitants, the buffalo died and a giant liana (Kheua Khao Kaat) grew from its
nostrils. Eventually it grew so high that it reached the sky and blocked out all
sunlight to the earthly realm threatening the survival of all life forms. Two deeply
loyal servants of Khun Borom, affectionately known as grandfather (Phou Nheu) and
grandmother (Nha Nheu), selflessly undertook the heroic deed of chopping down the liana
with the axe. Knowing that by undertaking this dangerous task that they would be
killed in the process, they requested only that they be remembered for their bravery.
Upon chopping the liana down, sunlight streamed into the earthly realm once again
and humankind was saved. Phou Nheu and Nha Nheu were subsequently honored as the
settlement's Devata Luang, a tradition of reverence that continues to this day. |
