Nature has a whole wide range of things that often amazes us, be it the waterfalls or the deepest point on Earth. We usually get surprises that leaves us with questions like “Is it even real?”. And to top that there lie mysteries and beliefs that makes the facts even more interesting.
Well then, “THE UNTESTED” is going to bring all of such theories together.
One of the recent mysteries of nature includes “The Snake Rock” in NAKA CAVE, Thailand.
Found on 9th June, just a few steps away from the base of the mountain of Naka Cave, this rock is appears as if a gigantic snake has been transformed into stone. Located in Phu Langka National Park of Bueng Khong Long District of Bueng Kan Province, Thailand, Naka meaning ‘snake’ in the Thai language got its name from the texture of some stones in the area, which resembles the scaled skin of a snake.
In recent months, many videos and images have come to surface which was taken by the tourists from the surrounding area. However, one of them being the most mysterious one which is supposedly a picture of the head of a mummified giant snake.
With the rise of such images, many predictions also came into air.
Some of the predictions focusing on history and science claimed that the large snake like rock is the remains of the largest snake that ever roamed the earth – the titanoboa.
Titanaboa which is claimed to be the largest snake on Earth lived in the Paleocene era, a period that lasted from about 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 snake, related to today’s boa constrictor, was up to 42 feet long, and weighed over 1,130 tons. However the snake could only grow just 2 feet wide.
Of course it’s logical that rock which covered a dead snake would form a shell that is thicker than the snake itself, but it would never end up retaining the scaly pattern on itself, as found on the Naka rocks.
The other predictions are however mythological that supports the Buddhist lore and claim the Snake Rock to be a cursed king who was punished to convert into a Giant Snake Rock until the kingdom revived its beauty and rises from its adversity.
THE STORY BEHIND THE CURSED KING
As per the Buddhist lore, nagas are half-human, half-serpent that once lived on Earth among humans and often took human form. They are considered to be guardians of water and often live in damp caves near water edge.
In the kingdom of Rappata Nakhon, lived Prince Fahoong. Tall, strong and handsome, he was the most eligible of all men in the nearby kingdoms. Once while he was walking in the woods, he saw a beautiful lady and fell in love with her. The lady was none other than Nakkarintrani, a nagi (serpent) and daughter of the Naga king, Lord Naka. Meanwhile, while in the woods, even nagi saw Prince Fahoong and fell in love with him but was distressed as she was aware of the law – a Naka must never marry a human, or the Gods will get angry and it would lead to massive destruction and years of curse resulting in Naka people starving and fading away to nothingness. But she was deeply in love with him so she confessed her feelings and her truth to the prince after which they decided to get married.
Later, Prince Fahoong talked to his grandfather about the love of his life along with revealing her identity of being a nagi. After which King Ue-Lee and Lord Naka talked about the two getting married and the marriage was fixed. However there was a condition put forth before the marriage by Lord Naka that no one should ever know the real identity of his daughter as their laws forbid the marriage of a naga and a human but in the love of his beloved daughter he has agreed.
Later, the marriage was held at a grand level, the celebration lasted for several days and people from many afar kingdoms were invited. Later, three years to the marriage, Nakkarintrani give not give birth to a royal baby, and the people of Rattapa Nakhon started being displeased with her. She was a nagi and could never have a child as she was incapable of carrying a child of a human but as per the condition put forth by Lord Naka, no one was aware of the truth and so they called her barren. With such tragic and distressed condition, 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 form, and would often turn into snake when she knew she was alone.
One morning when a maid went to her room to collect her food, she did not she Nakkarintrani, instead she saw a giant snake. She was so scared that she ran in the entire palace shouting that the Prince’s wife was actually a snake. In a span of few minutes, everyone knew the truth. Well, unfortunately that day was King’s birthday and so he has invited Lord Naka. On hearing people talking about his daughter being a snake, he became furious on the King for not keeping the secret. He angrily left the palace.
Later he came to the kingdom again with all his soldiers and destroyed the entire city burning the houses and palace. The soldiers killed the people and the entire kingdom crashed down in one night. Later Lord Naka who was still furious on King Ue-Lee as he thought that just because his daughter was a nagi she was put subject to all the humiliation and dreadful condition, he cursed the king of turning into a gigantic snake. And hence it is believed that the snake rock is none other than King Ue-Lee who was cursed and is fated to be a snake rock until the day when the Kingdom rises from the ashes of its terrible destruction.
Well about Prince Fahoong and his wife nagi Nakkarintrani, some stories say that they found a way across the lake that night and went to hide in a small cave, eventually dying of grief and hunger, but holding hands until the end – as much in love as the day they first met. And the locals those who survived that terrible night gave a name to that cave as “NAKA”.
Well… we don’t know how true the story is but definitely it is interesting and adds more value to this amazing natural beauty.To some it’s just a rock, but to others it confirms the ancient legends. The truth is, we’ll never really know…
I hope you liked reading the post, until next time.. Bbye..