| Phra Pathom Chedi: Statuesque Stupa Undergoing Major Revamp | ||||
| UPDATE : 15 June 2010 | ||||
Nakhon Pathom province is home to 'Phra Pathom Chedi' (The First Holy Chedi), the world's tallest stupa (at 127 meters) and the first religious landmark to signify the influence of Buddhism in the kingdom. I recently paid a visit to the historic chedi to find out how a major refurbishment program has been progressing. Ancient Origins Located within the Royal temple of Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Rachaworaviharn, Phra Pathom Chedi is thought to have been built over 2,200 years ago during the reign of the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great (269-232 BC). Following the Kalinga War (265-263 BC), and the emperor's subsequent conversion to Buddhism, Emperor Ashoka dispatched a group of Buddhist priests to Suvarnabhumi, a geographical area that included large parts of Southeast Asia, including what is now defined as the Malay Peninsular, Myanmar, Indonesia's Sumatra and southern half of Thailand. The priests' task was to spread the teachings of the Lord Buddha in the region. 'Up and Down' Market My visit begins at Nakhon Pathom's railway station, which is located just 400 meters from the temple. Along the way are Talad Bon ('Up the Street Market') and Talad Lang ('Down the Street Market'), which are actually one large market that is split by Rotfai Road. Established in 1898, the market's vendors continue to sell a huge array of foodstuffs, including desserts, along with local souvenirs.
Making my way around a large, circular gallery that surrounds the stupa, I discovered four vihara ('pavilions') sited at each major compass point. The vihara sited on the western side includes a 17-meter-long reclining Buddha.
For example, in the 11th century a Khmer-style prang (a form of spire) took pride of place, but was later deserted, allowing plants and weeds to take a hold. During the reign of King Rama IV (1851-1868), the monarch called for a more magnificent stupa to be built over the pre-existing prang, which was finally completed in 1870. It should be noted that the current restoration project is not aimed at increasing the height of the stupa. On entering the viewing area, I found that about 70-80% of the stupa has already been retiled, which has already improved the stupa's overall appearance.
There are lots of other things to see at Phra Pathom Chedi, including a small museum that plays host to various artifacts linked to the history of the stupa, along with several man-made caves, within which several more Buddha images have been enshrined. In the viewing area surrounding the stupa are many other Buddha images, which take the shape of various postures. Since many of the images relate to the Zodiac, I had a great time hunting for the Buddha image that related to my own date of birth, as well as learning more about many of the lesser known postures. Transport Connections: Train: Trains regularly depart Hualamphong station, Bangkok's main railways hub, with the first train leaving at 8.05 am. The journey takes about one hour and 15 minutes. You will see Phra Pathom Chedi from the train station on arrival. To access the complete train timetable for this route, visit the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) official website at http://www.railway.co.th. POI: 13.82056, 100.05999 | ||||
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Phra Pathom Chedi: Statuesque Stupa Undergoing Major Revamp
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