Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Wat Phra That doi suthep is the most prominent temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The splendors of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, built in the early 19th Buddhist century, is distinguished by seven-headed snake statues that line the stairs to the temple, which houses a Chiang Saen style golden pagoda and all of its wonderful Lanna architecture. The landscape of Chiang Mai from here is really spectacular. Tiaw Khuen Doi Festival, which is the journey up Doi Suthep Hill to revere the Buddhist relics enshrined there, is also held at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. It’s an experience worth having.
Wat Phra That doi suthep History
The storey of the temple’s creation is still a legend, with several different variations. The first pagoda is supposed to have been built in 1383, when the temple was founded. With the addition of many more holy shrines, the temple has grown and become more ornate throughout time. The first road to the shrine was constructed in 1935.
Legend of the White Elephant
Sumanathera, a monk from the Sukhothai Kingdom, had a dream, according to mythology. He was ordered to go to Pang Cha and look for a relic in this vision. Sumanathera visited Pang Cha and discovered a bone. Many people believe it was the shoulder bone of Gautama Buddha. The relic possessed magical abilities, including the ability to glow, vanish, and move and copy itself. Sumanathera presented the relic to Sukhothai’s King Dhammaraja. When Sumanathera arrived, the eager Dhammaraja prepared offerings and held a ceremony. The relic, however, showed no anomalous traits, and the king, who was skeptical of its genuineness, told Sumanathera to retain it.
When King Nu Naone of Lan Na learned of the relic, he instructed the monk to deliver it to him. Sumanathera carried the relic to what is now Lamphun in northern Thailand, with Dharmmaraja’s approval, in 1368. The artefact shattered into two parts once it arrived. Wat Suan Dok enshrined the smaller piece. The king placed the second piece on the back of a white elephant before releasing it into the wild. The elephant is reported to have ascended Doi Suthep, then known as Doi Aoy Chang (Sugar Elephant Mountain), come to a halt, trumpeted three times, and then died. This was taken as a foreshadowing. The erection of a temple at the site was immediately ordered by King Nu Naone.
The temple’s name (Wat Phra That Doi Suthep) actually explains what it has to offer. Phra refers to an honorific Buddha image, while relic refers to a relic. Mixing the two indicates that there is a Buddha relic in the Wat’s sanctity, which in this case is half of Buddha’s shoulder bone. The rounded portion of the Chedi, just above the octagonal redented section and below the ringed section, is where the shoulder bone relic can be found.
How to visiting the temple
Chiang Mai is the closest city to the temple, which may be reached by road. Visitors can either walk 309 steps or take a tram to the pagodas from the car lot at the temple’s base. The Monk’s Trail can also be used to trek up to the temple from the city. Visitors must be adequately dressed and remove their shoes once entering the temple premises. The most sacred part of the temple grounds is the original gold-plated chedi. Pagodas, statues, bells, a museum, and shrines can all be found on the grounds. Aspects of the wat are influenced by Buddhism as well as Hinduism. A model of the Emerald Buddha and a statue of Ganesh, the Hindu God, are on display. On the far side of the temple, there are sights of Chiang Mai.
The Site’s Architecture
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a beautifully designed Wat with a Buddhist storey to tell. The White elephant monument honoring the narrative behind the Wat’s placement is the first sight one sees after ascending the Naga lined steps (the longest Naga balustrade in Thailand). On the north side of the complex, on the left, is the nearest entry to the inner ring. The immediate view is of the chedi, which stands 79 feet tall (24 meters). With its heightened redented octagonal base, ringed spire, smooth spire, and tiered chatra (umbrella) at the top, this gold-plated spire is extremely typical of Northern Thailand chedis. The structure is heavily influenced by Sukhothai art; nevertheless, the chatra is a result of two centuries of Burmese occupation and is not a Thai influence. The chedi’s tiered and angular design is a feature of Buddhist architecture prevalent across Thailand. The tiers signify the level of heavens that must be attained in order to obtain Nirvana, as well as the monarchy’s hierarchy. The angular shape and slanting look are more in line with the emotion that Thai architects were attempting to convey. The basic goal of Threvada Buddhism is to remove oneself of unwholesomeness, which is accomplished by a concentration on serenity, lightness, and floating. The chedi would appear dense and static if it were just its plain outlines of an octagon and triangle. The chedi’s reddened appearance, nearly parabolic slope, and golden cover give it a weightless appearance.
The Wihans exhibit the same concept. The weightlessness of the wihans and surrounding structures is mostly due to the beauty of the roof. The experimenting with geometry and isolating related shapes is the aesthetic at work here. This wihan has a two-tiered roof with separate portions angled at different angles. The lowest tier is at a flatter inclination to simulate a stouter, more uptight appearance, whilst the following tier is at a steeper angle to give a more elevated and relaxed appearance. This division is meant to represent the prime goal of Buddhism, which is to be free of attachment. The white stucco and very elaborate pediment substantially contribute to this lightweight sense and separation, but the roof, due to its scale and composure, provides the most dynamic movement of the building. The pediments are often the most ornately decorated elements of the structure, expressing the temple’s grandeur and importance. There is a flat ornamental Naga at each corner of the roof levels, and the huge pointed pieces at the pinnacle of the roof are called chofas.
The exterior’s Buddhist motif is carried through to the interior through a variety of aspects. The first is that the building’s walls and columns all tilt inward toward the centre. This is done to help with the structural integrity of the building, but it also gives the impression that the chamber is climbing. The interior is equally lavishly ornamented, with murals covering the entire wall. The murals primarily depict the storey of Buddha’s life and travels, but they also feature Hindu elements. The interior of the building is often quite gloomy because the main lighting comes from the narrow vertical windows and the murals and all of the interior ornamentation are made of darker materials. The narrowness of the windows is for structural reasons, but it also contributes to the ascension feeling because they are trapezoids that are wider at the base. The interiors of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep contain a plethora of Buddha sculptures in a variety of designs and materials, just like the courtyard outside.
The structure is designed with biaxial symmetry around the chedi, with the main and little wihans somewhat off the east-west cardinal plane. The cardinal directions are significant in Buddhism, and it is claimed that if there is no body of water nearby, as there is in this case, the main wihan should face the rising sun. This explains why the main wihan is on the complex’s western side. The placement and style of the surrounds outside of the square courtyard are determined by the topography of the mountainside. The best place to see Chiang Mai is from a raised cantilever with a 15-foot plunge over the edge. Even the wooden wihan and monk’s home further down the hill exist on the north-south axis, pointing towards the chedi. Everything on the site points in the direction of the renowned chedi, demonstrating its importance to the wat.
Politics and Religion Problems
Due to its relic and the significance of Chiang Mai being the centre of the Lanna Kingdom in the 14th century, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is regarded one of Thailand’s most sacred pilgrimage sites. In truth, the wat can receive up to 120,000 visitors every month, with bigger numbers on festivals such as Songkhan and, especially, Visakha Bucha Day, when locals climb the mountain and sleep on the temple’s esplanade to commemorate the Buddha’s birth. The majority of these visitors are from Thailand, Singapore, China, and India, and they refer to themselves as “pilgrim-tourists” since they pay tribute to the place while also enjoying the nearby attractions. Tourism will always be a significant part of the wat, and political decisions will always be influenced by its economy. The first is Khruba Sriwichai, who directed the construction of the road in 1935. Because of his high merit and dedication to the culture, as well as the building projects he engaged on, he was a big component of the Buddhist culture in this region.
The Thai Buddhist authorities attempted to consolidate and incorporate the loosely conformed northern Buddhist leaders into a more national hierarchical structure around the turn of the twentieth century. Sriwichai was one of the most outspoken opponents, and he became a symbol of northern culture’s religious and societal independence. In the 1980s, his spirit could be seen once more when there was talk of installing a cable car to the wat instead of utilizing the road. This sparked a heated controversy and called into doubt the wat’s sacredness. The pilgrimage to wats is an important part of Buddhist culture; would introducing this technology detract from that aspect? The government and the locals fought long and hard over who it would genuinely benefit and the religious implications, but the idea was eventually cancelled due to local support.
How to travel to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
How to travel: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep can be found in Tambon Suthep, Amphoe Mueang, Chiang Mai Province. Doi Suthep Hill is 14 kilometres from Chiang Mai’s city. If you’re driving, use the Huai Kaew-Chiang Mai University-Chiang Mai Zoo Road until you see the sign for Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. There are also tiny buses that travel from Chiang Mai University from 5.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. There are two routes to go to Phra That Doi Suthep Temple. The first is to walk up the seven-headed serpent stairs. It’s also a fantastic place to take photos. Taking an electric tram, which runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thais pay 20 THB, whereas foreigners pay 50 THB.
Opening Hours: Daily
Location: Tambon Suthep, Amphoe Mueang, Chiang Mai Province