Utt Ding (also called U Teng) is a traditional Lanna–Tai Yai charm.
It came into Northern Thailand through Tai Yai (Shan) culture and is regarded as a high-level metta and wealth talisman, especially for traders and people whose lives revolve around relationships, negotiation, and travel.
Classically, Utt Ding appears in several forms:
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A Buddha or sacred figure sitting on an elephant
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Phra Chai Lang Chang (victory Buddha on an elephant)
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Inn (yin–yang couple) sitting on an elephant
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A single rider on an elephant
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Two riders on an elephant
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A man playing a string instrument while riding an elephant
Each form focuses on a slightly different use:
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Inn on elephant – strong romantic attraction, great charm and popularity
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Musician on elephant – for merchants and sales, smooth communication and enjoyable dealings
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Single rider – safe travel, seeking fortune, finding new opportunities
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Two riders – combination of partnership, support, travel and wealth
Older pieces were usually carved from nga (elephant ivory), nga graden, wood, or stone, and sometimes drawn on yantra cloth or cast in metal. Among Tai Yai families these charms are so treasured that, traditionally, when the owner dies the piece is buried with them. For this reason genuine old Utt Ding are very rare and considered “masterpiece” works that display the delicacy of Tai Yai craftsmanship.
2. Classical Lanna Description of the Two-Rider Utt Ding
The form called “Utt Ding Yok Kon Nang Weluwati Mintami” shows two people riding together.
According to an old Lanna text translated by the deputy abbot of Wat Lantong, Chiang Mai, this type carries the following properties:
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Metta from humans and devas – Whoever carries it will be loved, cared for, and supported by people and benevolent spirits.
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Smooth undertakings – Work and projects encounter fewer obstacles; activities proceed more easily.
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Safe travel and fortune – Journeys near or far are protected, with good luck and gains along the way.
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Boost in trade – If placed in water and that water is sprinkled over goods, it helps goods move quickly and sell well.
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Support from superiors – Before meeting important people or asking for help, one may soak it in water with seven pods of sompoi (acacia), bathe with that water, then carry the charm; this encourages kindness and assistance from those in higher positions.
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Household prosperity – When kept at home and chanted over regularly, it brings continuous income, assets, and food, protecting the family from hardship and helping all honest work to prosper.
Traditional kata for Utt Ding include:
“Om Tin-na Tin-na Hatti Hatti Sattang Jinang Jinang Kab-sa-ya Kab, Om Sawa Hum Hum.”
3. Legends Behind Utt Ding Power
Two main storylines are used to explain the energy of Utt Ding:
3.1 The Handsome Merchant with the Magic Lute
A young, good-looking trader travelled from town to town, always playing his lute as he went.
Wherever he arrived, people were delighted by the sound, welcomed him warmly, and traded with him generously. His business flourished, his name became well known, and—most importantly—he never lacked for loving partners wherever he stayed.
From this legend come the qualities of:
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Great metta and popularity
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Wealth and abundance from trade
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Strong romantic attraction and companionship
3.2 King Uthen Racha and the Three-String Lute
Another lineage tells of King Uthen Racha, who learned a special three-string lute wicha from his foster father. With this power he reclaimed his kingdom, inherited his father’s throne, and later expanded his realm. Every city he approached surrendered voluntarily, and their rulers offered royal daughters to him as consorts.
From this legend arise:
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High authority, status, and baramee
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Ability to turn bad fortune into good
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Victory and dominance without bloodshed
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High-class, wholehearted romantic devotion
These two storylines together define Utt Ding as a charm of status, victory, safety, wealth, and high-level attraction.
Some Masters say ...
“Go out as one, return as two.”
On the surface this refers to romantic success—never lacking a partner, often attracting someone “above one’s station.” On a deeper level it also means that wherever the wearer goes, things multiply: opportunities, income, and supportive relationships.
Utt Ding has four main blessings:
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Power and baramee – From King Uthen Racha: the ability to command respect, have doors open, and win without conflict.
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High-grade attraction – Not only having many admirers, but especially drawing partners of higher status or better circumstances (“plucking the flower above one’s own height”).
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Safety and non-violent victory – Like the king who subdues cities without battle, the wearer avoids serious harm and finds non-destructive solutions.
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Wealth and wish-fulfilment – From the merchant legend: prosperous trade and the ability to obtain what is sincerely needed, like a practical “wish-fulfilling jewel” rooted in real effort.