During the Ayutthaya era, Buddhist temples played a crucial role in Thai society, serving as centers of spiritual and cultural activities. Many temples were built, restored, or renovated during this period, showcasing the kingdom’s architectural and artistic achievements.
These temples not only showcased the kingdom’s architectural and artistic prowess but also served as centers of Buddhist learning, meditation, and worship. They played a vital role in preserving and promoting Thai Buddhist culture during the Ayutthaya era.
Many of the temples were destroyed during the invasion of the kingdom by the Burmese and the eventual fall of the capital in 1767. Many of the small temples were spared and these historic temples have been maintained and are still in use today. One of these temples is Wat Chula Muni. It’s unknown when exactly it was built but the buildings are from probably the late Ayutthaya era.
The highlight of the temple is a Sukhothai era Buddha that was housed inside the...
Part four of the trip around Spain found us in the south west of Spain. We got to see 2 more UNESCO World Heritage sites and some amazing historical towns in the country. The mosque cathedral in Cordoba is a very unique site and was something I was really looking forward to. The same for the bridge in Ronda. I’ve seen it in movies and it was amazing in person.
Spain is a storied country of stone castles, snowcapped mountains, vast monuments, and sophisticated cities, all of which have made it a favored travel destination. The country is geographically and culturally diverse.
Spain’s countryside is quaint, speckled with castles, aqueducts, and ancient ruins, but its cities are modern.
The many and varied cultures that have gone into the making of Spain, the Castilians, Catalonians, Lusitanians, Galicians, Basques, Romans, Arabs, among other peoples, are renowned for their varied cuisines, customs, and prolific contributions to the countries heritage.
The country’s Roman ...
Golden Mount Temple Fair (Wat Saket) The oldest temple fair in Bangkok
Thai Temple Fairs (ngan wat) are community events that usually take place on temple grounds during Buddhist religious festivals. The most famous Thai temple fair in Bangkok is the Golden Mount Temple Fair which takes place every November on the grounds and the streets surrounding Wat Saket. The Golden Mount is one of Bangkoks most famous temples and landmark. It is visible from the surrounding area with its brightly lit chedi.
The temple fair takes place around the Loy Krathong Festival with the starting date being seven days prior to Loy Krathong. The festival starts at dawn on the first day with a procession to the top of the golden mountain where a red cloth is wrapped around the golden chedi which contains sacred relics of the Buddha.
The Golden Mount temple fair is the oldest in Bangkok with its origins stretching back to the founding of Bangkok. It is held in a carnival
atmosphere attracting people of all ages....
History of Loy Krathong Festival
Loy Krathong Festival originated from an old Brahmin festival that paid respects to the water spirits. Thai people float krathongs to give thanks to the water goddess for the fortune of having water while others will ask for forgiveness for using too much or contaminating it.
Loy Krathong originated in the ancient Sukhothai Kingdom, over 800 years ago. The King, Ramkamhang, was a devout Buddhist and believed that at the end of the Thai year his people should pay tribute to the water goddess, Phra Mae Khong Ka, for all they had been given. So he chose a night with a full moon after the monsoons, meaning the rivers and canals would be at their fullest, to worship.
A popular legend says that one of the King's consorts, Nang Noppamas, was the one who created the first Krathong. Noppamas was the daughter of a Brahmin priest and adapted an existing Brahmin tradition to make the float from banana leaves. The king was impressed and he proclaimed that every year on ...
