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Published: March 5th 2009
Bangkok, Thailand
I took an tour through Bangkok, Thailand today. Although it was interesting, I didn't particularly like being on a guided tour...I'm more the type that likes to wander around and take my time. Guided tours are rushed and I feel like I never really get the feel of a certain culture.
The day started off with a 2 hour bus ride from Pattaya, Thailand (the most morally backwards city I have ever visited...more on that later) to Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai country side was rolling hills interspersed with sheet metal houses and farming fields (don't for one minute think it was like "back home on the range"). The two locations I visited during the day was Wat Pho (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha) and Wat Phra Kaew/The Grand Palace.
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha was my first stop. Wat Pho (Thai: วัดโพธิ์), also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon วัดพระเชตุพน or The Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand, located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. Its official full name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn (Thai: วัดพระเชตุพนวิมลมังคลาราม ราชวรมหาวิหาร). Although the Reclining
Buddha tends to be the main attraction, Wat Pho is also known for being the first location to practice traditional Thai massage. Today there is a massage school here where people can train to be masters at this particular type of massage.
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha was a restoration project for a temple built on the same location, called War Phodharam, and work began in 1788. The temple was fully restored and extended several times during the reign of King Rama III. It was fully completed in 1982.
Wat Pho is the one of the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok (with an area of 80,000 square metres), and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images: the Reclining Buddha (Phra Buddhasaiyas, Thai พระพุทธไสยาสน์). Made as part of Rama III's restoration, the Reclining Buddha is forty-six metres long and fifteen metres high, decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet When I first saw the mother of pearl inlay on the soles of the Buddha's feet I assumed they would be pictures describing
the life of Buddha; however, these 108 pictures were actually auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian styles.
The Wat Pho complex consists of two walled compounds bisected by Soi Chetuphon running east-west. The northern walled compound is where the reclining Buddha and massage school are found. The southern walled compound, Tukgawee, is a working Buddhist monastery with monks in residence and a school.Wat Pho is the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok and is home to more than 1,000 Buddha images, more than any other temple in the country.
Once I got off the bus to come into Wat Pho, there was a man standing outside the gate with a snake draped over his neck and arms. At first I didn't realize what it was and then it somewhat shocked me. I quickly passed by him trying not to completely freak out...I hate snakes. Knowing my Mom and Dad, they would have tried to hold onto it (remember Egypt?!). My parents are daredevils! From this point onwards, I was on snake alert in Bangkok (which was unnecessary because I didn't see any for the rest of the day).
In order to enter into the Temple of the
Reclining Buddha (or any other temples that I visited while in Bangkok) I had to remove my sandals and walk barefoot. I think this practice has something to do with the Buddhist belief that the feet are the least respected part of the body. If you remove your shoes, it is a symbol of removing defilement in their opinion. I then walked around the Buddha for about 10 minutes while snapping photos. The size of the Buddha was pretty amazing but that was pretty much all I got out of seeing it.
I then wandered around the rest of Wat Pho trying to find the massage school...maybe they gave out free demos. Unfortunately, I never found it but I did come across some other side temples with more Buddhist images in them.
After visiting Wat Pho, my tour made a stop at a restaurant (no idea where it was located). After eating, we jumped onto a junk boat and cruised around the canals in Bangkok. It was nothing romatic like taking a gondola in Venice (haha). The water was actually rather clean, as I didn't see much garbage at all floating around and it didn't smell. Now would
I jump in like I saw a few kids doing? No way. The junk boat passed by a few houses that were built over the water and our tour guide said many of them flooded during the rainy season. After the boat ride we got back on the bus and drove to the Grand Palace which is home to several famous buildings including Wat Phra Kaew (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha).
The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Construction of the Palace began in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, when he moved the capital across the river from Thonburi to Bangkok. The Palace has been constantly expanded and many additional structures were added over time. The present King of Thailand; King Rama IX, however does not currently reside there but at the Chitralada Palace.
When King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) decided to move the capital of Siam from Thonburi on the west to Bangkok on the east of the Chao Phraya River he decided to build
a magnificent new palace as a place of residence as well as a center of government. The area chosen was however occupied by Chinese merchants, who he promptly asked to relocate (to the present day Yaowarat area).
The tower of gold began construction on 6 May 1782. At first the palace consisted of several wooden buildings surrounded on four sides with a high defensive wall of 1,900 metres in length, which encloses an area of 218,400 square metres. Soon the King ordered the building of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; as the Monarch’s personal place of worship and royal temple. Once the palace was complete the King decided to under go a coronation ceremony to celebrate in 1785.
The plan of the Grand Palace followed closely that of the old palace in Ayutthaya. The Palace is rectangular shaped, with the western side next to a river and the royal temple situated to the east side, with all structures facing north. The palace itself is divided into three quarters: the outer quarters, the middle quarters and the inner quarters.
The palace became the centre of the Rattanakosin government and royal court for most of the early Chakri
Dynasty until the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) who preferred to stay at the Dusit Palace, but still used the Grand Palace as an office and primary place of residence. This practice was followed by his sons (Rama VI and Rama VII) who preferred their own palaces. King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) moved into the palace full time after his return from abroad in 1945. However after his mysterious death a year later in one of the palaces inside the complex, his brother King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) who succeeded him decided to move permanently to the Chitralada Palace.
The Palace is however still very much in use; as many royal rituals are performed here by the King every year. Other royal ceremonies celebrated here are coronations; royal funerals, marriages and state banquets. The Palace grounds also contain the offices and buildings of the Bureau of the Royal Household, the Office of the Private Secretary to the King and Royal Institute of Thailand.
In order to enter into the complex, everyone had to wear appropriate attire (no shorts, no sleeveless t-shirts, etc.). Luckily I changed into a pair of pants prior to getting here so I didn't
have to rent these crazy pajama pants that some of the other people on my tour were forced to put on. I should have taken photos of the silly design on them...just think of a guy having to wear pants decorated with hot pink elephants. HAHA!
Once inside we visited the upper terrace first. Located here were several structures.
Phra Sri Rattana Chedi or The Golden Pagoda, built by Rama IV was meant to house ashes of the Buddha (highly doubtful of this since there are tons of dedicated stupas throughout South East Asia claiming to have relics of the Buddha). It was really sunny out and the gold plating on the outside of it made it extremely bright and hard to look at.
There were also two buildings that held some special importance to the King's coronation (I think), but I wandered off to take photos. I couldn't really understand my tour guide anyways so it wouldn't have mattered if I paid attention or not. From the bit of research I've done, I'm almost positive these buildings are called the Royal Pantheon and The Repository. Inside the Royal Pantheon are full size statues of the first
seven kings of the reigning Chakri dynasty (Rama I - Rama VII). This building is only open on April 6th, the anniversary of the founding of this dynasty. Surrounding The Royal Pantheon and The Repository were large statues of mythical guardians, like the kinaree, half human-half bird and the Hindu garuda bird.
Around the corner from these building on the upper terrace was Phra Chedi Thong (The Twin Golden Stupas). King Rama I built these two large golden stupas, dedicating one to his father and the other to his mother in an act of Buddhist merit-making. The stupas are square with redented based and spired pinnacles, a style popular during the first three reigns of the Bangkok era. They are made of brick, covered in copper foil and gilt. Each of the stupas are supported by a row of twenty demons and monkeys whose distinctive features, colors and crowns mark them as individual characters from the Ramakian, the Thai version of the Ramayana epic. The fact that they all wear crowns indicate that they are demons and monkeys of noble rank.
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) itself, generally known to the Thais as Wat Phra
Si Rattana Satsadaram, is perhaps the main attraction. This is Thailand's most important and sacred temple. According to legend, the Emerald Buddha was created in India in 43 BC by Nagasena in the city of Pataliputra (today Patna). The legend states that after remaining in Pataliputra for three hundred years, it was taken to Sri Lanka to save it from a civil war. In 457, King Anuruth of Burma sent a mission to Ceylon to ask for Buddhist scriptures and the Emerald Buddha, in order to support Buddhism in his country. These requests were granted, but the ship lost its way in a storm during the return voyage and landed in Cambodia. When the Thais captured Angkor Wat in 1432 (following the ravage of the bubonic plague), the Emerald Buddha were taken to Ayutthaya (Cambodian historians recorded this in their fame "Preah Ko Preah Keo" legend), Kamphaeng Phet, Laos and finally Chiang Rai, where the ruler of the city hid it. However, some art historians describe the Emerald Buddha as belonging to the Chiang Saen Style of the 15th Century AD, which would mean it is actually of Lannathai origin.
Historical sources indicate that the statue surfaced in northern
Thailand in the Lannathai kingdom in 1434. One account of its discovery tells that lightning struck a pagoda in a temple in Chiang Rai, after which something became visible beneath the stucco. The Buddha was dug out and the people believed the figurine to be made of emerald, hence its name. King Sam Fang Kaen of Lannathai wanted it in his capital, Chiang Mai, but the elephant carrying it insisted, on three separate occasions, on going instead to Lampang. This was taken as a divine sign and the Emerald Buddha stayed in Lampang until 1468, when it was finally moved to Chiang Mai, where it was kept at Wat Chedi Luang.
The Emerald Buddha remained in Chiang Mai until 1552, when it was taken to Luang Prabang, then the capital of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. Some years earlier, the crown prince of Lan Xang, Setthathirath, had been invited to occupy the vacant throne of Lannathai. However, Prince Setthathirath also became king of Lan Xang when his father, Photisarath, died. He returned home, taking the revered Buddha figure with him. In 1564, King Setthathirath moved it to his new capital at Vientiane.
In 1779, the Thai General
Chao Phraya Chakri put down an insurrection, captured Vientiane and returned the Emerald Buddha to Siam, taking it with him to Thonburi. After he became King Rama I of Thailand, he moved the Emerald Buddha with great ceremony to its current home in Wat Phra Kaew on March 22, 1784. It is now kept in the main building of the temple, the Ubosoth.
The Emerald Buddha itself is simply the jasper statue, but it is adorned with garments made of gold. There are three different sets of gold clothing, which are changed by the King of Thailand in a ceremony at the changing of the seasons - in the 1st Waning of Lunar Months 4, 8 and 12 (around March, July and November). The three sets of gold garments correspond to Thailand's hot season, rainy season, and cool season. While I was visiting the Emerald Buddha was dressed in his winter attire. The two sets of gold clothing not in use at any given time are kept on display in the nearby Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Thai Coins on the grounds of the Grand Palace, where the public may view them. I never got around to seeing
these other two sets of clothing...it was pretty busy in the complex and I had to follow my tour guide so I wouldn't get lost. Inside the temple, photographs were forbidden so I've posted several pictures I've found online. The Emerald Buddha was so high up that I couldn't really see it...it basically looked like a green blob with two white dots (eyes).
Overall, the Grand Palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha were interesting to go see. The weather was pretty hot and humid so it made standing outside in the summer really miserable.
Photos of The Grand Palace: http://picasaweb.google.com/kdupak/GrandPalaceBangkokThailand?feat=directlink
Photos of The Reclining Buddha: http://picasaweb.google.com/kdupak/TheRecliningBuddha?feat=directlink
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