How a King's Cremation Unfolds

4 February 2013

This will be the final in what has evolved into an ongoing series of posts about the King Father, former King Sihanouk. It's not often a monarch passes away, even if Cambodia is pretty far off the map. After the 101 days of laying-in-state embalmed at the Royal Palace, the long-process of honoring a former leader (as well as this blog series) drew to a close.

Cremation is the preferred method of sending a person into the afterlife in Cambodia. Normally the family takes the body to the local wat. Because of Sihanouk's status, he was built a special crematorium next to the Royal Palace enveloping what was once a park in front of the Royal Museum. Building this crematorium required suspending the law prohibiting cremations within the city (and outside a wat) in Phnom Penh. The structure was at least four-storey high surrounded by a square of seating areas. Costs were rumored to have run between $1 million to $4 million for this temporary crematorium which also functioned as an exciting stop for domestic tourism (seriously, it's very popular).

To launch the final of the Sihanouk related events, we started by taking extra holidays. This is the natural first step, predictably so. We took Friday 1 February and Monday 4 February off. 

Commemorative 1000 riel bill for the occasion

The events kick-started on Friday with a parade around Phnom Penh. Businesses along the route were mandated to close and crowds turned out to view the parade and the golden sarcophagus. The followers were dressed in white and black, carrying lotus flowers and wearing the obligatory black ribbons pinned to their white shirts.

The parade carried on for two days. Throughout this period, there was speeches, chanting monks, grieved mourners and a general somber spirit. Finally on February 4, Sihanouk was finally cremated. At exactly 6pm, friends and I turned on the TV to see the event. The pyre was lit off-screen by the current king (Sihanouk's son) and all the cameras were turned off. From a distance, smoke rose into the night along with fireworks. (Apparently, simultaneous fireworks are very trendy these days.) 

On Tuesday, the king and his mother sprinkled the ashes at the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and the Bassac Rivers. The rest were stored in an urn inside the Palace. 

Everyday is a learning day in the Kingdom. I'm only 50 percent sure I ever understand what's happening and this event was in keeping with that trend. However, as an era draws to a close, farewell Sihanouk.