Wat Intharawihan
Wat Intharawihan | |
---|---|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Buddhism |
Location | |
Country | Thailand |
Geographic coordinates | 13°46′01″N 100°30′10″E / 13.76697°N 100.502715°E |
Wat Intharawihan or Wat Intharavihan (
Location
The Wat is at the northern edge of the Banglamphu area of Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. Access to the temple is by boat along the Chao Praya River close to Thanin Wisut Kasat. Road access is through local transport.[3] The northbound Samsen Road leads to this wat, which is hidden below the elevated expressway.[4] Also called Wat In, of the late Ayutthaya Kingdom, when it was called Wat Bang Khunphrom Nok for the name of the suburb where it is located.[4]
History
The Wat is a royal temple categorized as Class III, which was built at the beginning of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, and was originally called Wat Rai Phrik "Vegetable fields Wat". It was so named as it was surrounded by vegetable gardens.[1] The land where the temple is situated was provided by Rama I to accommodate prisoners of war.[4] During the reign of King Vajiravudh it was refurbished by Chao Inthawong, whereafter it was known as Wat Intharavihan.[1] Chao Inthawong also brought a priest from Vientiane to preside as the abbot of the temple.[4]
Luang Pho To Buddha statue
The Wat's main architectural depiction is a 32 metres (105 ft) high, 10 metres (33 ft) wide standing
Features
Temple
The temple has an
An image of Phra Puttahachan, who was an abbot in the temple is enshrined in a separate newly constructed chamber in the temple. The image is made of wax and is placed over a spring of water. Water collected from various regions of Thailand is preserved in containers placed in the shelves in the chamber. Air conditioning is provided to preserve the wax image. The same is dimly lighted and devotees do meditation here as it has a special ambiance.[1]
Guanyin shrine
There is another shrine here dedicated to Guanyin, a female form of Avalokiteśvara, a bodhisattva of Mahayana Buddhism.[1]
Worship
Devotees who visit the temple for worship offer mackerel, a boiled egg and a garland of flowers which they place with reverence at the foot of the Buddha image.[4]
Gallery
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Detail on the front of the wat
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An ornamental statue
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Luang Pho To or Luang Phaw Toh
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A woman prays at Buddha's feet
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Liedtke 2012, p. 69.
- ^ Toh, Ajarn. "The Biography of Somdej Toh (Toh Promarangsi)". amuletcity.org. Archived from the original on 2018-09-18. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ^ Liedtke 2012, p. 70.
- ^ a b c d e f g Barrett 2014, p. 232.
Bibliography
- Barrett, Kenneth (18 February 2014). 22 Walks in Bangkok: Exploring the City's Historic Back Lanes and Byways. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-1380-0.
- Liedtke, Marcel (4 September 2012). Bangkok Travel Guide: Bangkok & the Surrounding Area. Marcel Liedtke. ISBN 978-1-4792-1773-1.
See also
- Other tallest statues in Thailand
- Great Buddha of Thailand, the tallest
- Luangpho Yai, the 2nd-tallest
- Phuket Big Buddha, the 3rd-tallest