Sala (Thai architecture)
A sala (
changwat
(ศาลากลางจังหวัด, literally meaning a 'provincial main pavilion').
In Thailand, they have many purposes similar to the roadside pavilions of
Asoka
. In rural areas, travelers can use them to rest and reflect. These salas are called sala asai. One at the roadside is a sala rim thanon (ศาลาริมถนน) and may be used as a bus stop. If on a riverbank or canal at a landing-place for watercraft, they are called sala tha nam (ศาลาท่าน้ำ 'water pier pavilions').
Etymology
The term "sala" earliest known mention is found in
sanskrit language,[2] which has been dated to 1200 BC to 1000 BC.[3][4] "Sala" in Atharvaveda and later in various Indian languages denotes "house" in a broad and generic sense, with meanings such as "stall" for cattle, "shed" for corn, room or house, etc. The owner or the head of the house is called the "sala-pati" in Atharvaveda.[2] Term "sala" is a cognate of Hindi शाल, meaning hall, large room or shed.[5]
Salas outside Thailand
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
- East–West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
- Ueno Zoological Gardens, Tokyo, Japan
- Parc du Denantou, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Kurpark, Bad Homburg v.d.H, Germany
- Westpark, Munich, Germany
See also
- Architecture of Thailand
- Ordination hall
- Zayat, the Burmese equivalent
References
- ^ Hiranthanawiwat, Suphawat (2013-09-27). "The 'sala': architectural embodiment of Thai identity". The Nation. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ a b c "vedic Index of names and subjects, Vol II". 1912. p. 376. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
- ISBN 0-631215352, page 68
- ^ Michael Witzel. "Autochthonous Aryans?The Evidence from Old Indian and Iranian Texts" (PDF).
- ^ "sala". Spoken Sanskrit Dictionary. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sala (architecture).
- Elements and parts of Thai architecture
- East-West Center, A Commemorative Book by the Thai Students at the East-West Center on the Occasion of the Presentation of the Asia Pacific Community Building Award and Dedication of the Royal Sala Thai, Honolulu, East-west Center, 2008.