Coronation across the world: Some wear a calf skin headband, some hunt lions, how are kings crowned around the world?

Just a wait of three days and after that King Charles will officially become the King of Britain. Preparations for the coronation of Charles have intensified. How special and spectacular this ceremony will be can be gauged from the fact that an estimate of one thousand crore rupees is being spent on its event. The word ‘coronation’ is derived from the Latin word corona which means ‘crown’. With the coronation of King Charles III approaching, let’s take a look at some of the monarchies around the world and how they crown a new king or queen.

Emperor Naruhito of Japan

Naruhito formally ascended the throne of Japan in 2019 in an ancient ceremony, becoming the 126th emperor. A series of traditional rituals inside the imperial palace in Tokyo formalized his ascension. Narohito was crowned amid traditional rituals at the Imperial Palace and was presented with the keys to Japan’s Imperial Treasury. In Japan, when a king abdicates, an era ends and a new era begins when a new king is installed. This is the only royal family in the world that has been ruling Japan continuously for the last 2600 years. The emperor of Japan was considered a god.

what is the story of golden stool

The Asantehene is considered the spiritual head of the Asante Kingdom. It was established in the late 17th century. At its peak, the empire covered an area larger than present-day Ghana. In their culture the golden stool, known as Sika Dawa Kofi, is said to be the most sacred object. The stool is believed to represent the “soul” of the Asante people and given its importance, no one, not even the king, is allowed to sit on it. During the coronation the new Asantehene is raised and lowered without a stool.

Not all crowns are made of precious stones

The crown placed on the head is arguably one of the most important parts of the coronation, but it need not be studded with diamonds, rubies or sapphires. In Lesotho, two traditional chiefs put a calfskin headband and feathers on the head of the new monarch. A photo was captured on camera during the coronation of Letsy III in the capital city of Maseru in 1997. The ceremony was attended by King Charles and Nelson Mandela, who was then the President of South Africa.

King Misuzulu Zulu in traditional dress

In traditional Zulu tradition the sovereign enters a sacred cattle pen and dons a lion’s skin for the support of his ancestors. King Misuzulu Zulu Kazwelithini wore leopard print and feathers at his coronation ceremony in 2022. A large number of people dressed in animal skins with spears and shields attended the ceremony. The king hunted a lion in the reserve, which is a pre-coronation custom. The Zulu clan king does not have executive power but the king has influence over the more than 11 million Zulu people. This is about one-fifth of the total population of South Africa.

Water is offered in Buddhist ceremonies

According to the BBC, one of the rituals of Thailand’s coronation ceremony involves pouring water to purify and anoint the new monarch. The water is said to be collected from 100 sources across the country between 11:52 (local time) and 12:38 (local time), a special time in Thai astrology, and then blessed in Buddhist ceremonies .