A High Monk's Passing 4- Crane Work

Early evening and I was headed out, through the wat as usual, for something to eat.  Shock!  They had a crane at the site and they were already lowering the central tower into place!  How could I have missed that?  I ran back to the apartment for a camera but the sun had already slipped behind the mountains before I started shooting.  

A monk and another workman were just climbing down from a rough platform they had built midway up in the cupola.  Later I figured out they had stood on it while they secured the tower to the vertical supports.

The crane looked similar to one Gary W. had been operating in San Francisco to place sculptures for an art exhibit opening.  Impressive machines!

Next the spires would be set in place atop the supports on the four corners.  The monk, lower left, was site boss and rigger.  He was all business all of the time.  He is directing the crane to tilt the cap so a bamboo crosspiece can be set at the base.  The line threads down the center of the spire and is tied to the crosspiece- simple, but it worked.  

The first of the four corner caps is lowered into place.  Just below the middle of the photo you can faintly see wires- there are four of them, stabilizing the central tower.

The monk keeps the vertical supports in place while the other guy nails them.  Check out the bamboo cross piece still supporting the cap.

Two corner caps to go.. the site boss checking every detail.  And in the foreground and background other pieces waiting their turn.

 The tail gets its feathers.  It was one long, folded piece, painted on both sides, that was snugged down  and nailed in place.  The work crew was probably ten people or so.  These bigger sections came in a truck, either in the bed or lashed to the rails.

Not sure what to call this section.  By this time the bier was taking on the aspects of several creatures.

While the heavy lifting was going on at the back others were reverently decorating the front.  

The "elephant's head"  was a surprise.  So much for my "bird" theory.  It stood at least ten feet high.

The rigger came by, took a look, and redid the knots.  My naive impression of monks changed after I watched him for a couple of hours.  I wondered if these were skills he picked up before becoming a monk or after. 

The last heavy piece is carefully moved into place.   And the reason for the door on the side was to give access to the interior during the assembly.  While the elephant head was being lowered in place there was someone inside helping to secure it.  Just before the actual cremation, when the fireworks were going off, the head swiveled back and forth.  Whether there was someone inside, or whether it was controlled from outside, I couldn't see.  

 

The crane operator securing his machine before heading out.