Unesco puts this world heritage site of Laos as a Buddhist heritage site whose ‘landscapes and urban fabric retain a high degree of authenticity, and the site is not disturbed by any major construction.  …the Buddhist cult and the cultural traditions related to it (rites and ceremonies) are still alive and practiced diligently. The sacred Mount Phou Si stands at the heart of the historic town’.

Luang Prabang is located in northern Laos; the two rivers, the Mekong and the Nam Khan River along with the PhouThao and PhouNang mountains which are linked to this heritage site, collectively put the memory of the country and its people at the centre of the Naga cult that is attached with the story of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas. Pagodas in Luang Prabang are locally called ‘Vat’; they contain richly decorated sculptures, engravings, paintings, gilding and furniture pieces. Wat Xieng Thong, which dates from the 16th century, comprises an ensemble of the most complex structures of all the pagodas of the town.

According to Unesco, the heritage site marks ‘the site of a rich and powerful city. Known as Muang Sua, then Xieng Thong, from the 14th to the 16th century the town became the capital of the powerful kingdom of Lane Xang (Kingdom of a Million Elephants), whose wealth and influence were related to its strategic location on the Silk Route. The city was also the centre of Buddhism in the region. Luang Prabang takes its name from a statue of Buddha, the Prabang, offered by Cambodia….the country was divided into three independent kingdoms, Luang Prabang ….became the royal and religious capital during the reign of King Sisavang Vong. …..’.

The geographical situations which identify the royal communities in the whole of South East Asia including Laos, Siam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Japan etc  form a common ancestral–unit of the ancient dynastic base.

Loharupa was name of an image of the Buddha placed at Lohapura; Luang though sounds like Labanga and Langal, two place-names of the ancient world, it identifies the people of Lo or Lohita; they were considered as lower devas or gods. They mark the Loi of the Greeks, and even some of the liberated Bhikshunis were called as ‘Lo’ that signifies the status of a ‘goddess’. Prabang finds its origin in ‘Pubba-gama’ a royal seat then; it is also name of a Buddhist Sutta preached by the Buddha at a place in this name which reads, ‘Just as the dawn precedes sunrise, so do right views(samadithi) prcede good action’. Pavarika was also name of a king and Pupha-vati was the old name of Benares. Pupha also identifies one of the horses of King Kappina. But the ‘naga’ cult associated with the heritage site traces its origin to ancient ‘Prayag’, name of a Naga, and also name of the place where the Buddha preached his First Sermon in Issi-patana.

Names of kings and rulers associated with Luang Prabang trace the ancient land to which they originally belonged. Muang Sua is not as same as Luang Prabnag as scholars have noted. The former refers to Mruga-sthali(Deer Park) and the later to Payag, the place of the First Sermon. The best of information of Buddhist heritage site comes from the term ‘Vat’ that identifies the Tree of Wisdom; it is called Pei-to in Chinese, and ‘Vata’ in Indian puranas; there is a difference between the ‘Vata Tree’ and ‘Aswatath Tree’(or the Tree of Wisdom).

Mount Phou Si though sounds like Mount Phusa or Phussi, may identify Phussa, the 18^th Buddha of the 24-Buddhas. One woman attendant of Phussa Buddha was known as Naga; it is an important place that shows migrants from the family or followers of Phussa in Laos. But if ‘-Si’ gets detached from Phou, then it may mean Naga See, chief King of the Nagas in the Underworld.

Wat as usual marks the ancient Tanya-Sulla-Wat line of geographical division of the ancient world.

PhouThao—God(Phou means ‘Bho’ or ‘Prabhu’ means God) Tatha-gatha(or Buddha)

Phou Nang mountains—Naga God, seems to refer to Sse

Mekong—Chinese Mo-kie, means Magha ; identifies Three-Rivers’ Meeting place at ‘Si’ same as ‘Sri’..

Nam Khan—Nygrodh or the Tree of Wisdom at Khan(or Prayag)/Nama, according to Pali texts, name of a Sutta and a Jataka which teaches moral lessons on different ‘name-forms’.

Kingdom of Lane Xang—identical with Chinese Long Wang means ‘Naga-raja’

Ta or Tai—refers to the King of Han dynasty/Qin or Chin.

Khmer—same as Khema of Pali sources; name of a place in Loi region at An-ti-lo.

Champa—as same as Kamboj/Kambodia in Ang/Anga country.