Ho Phra Kaew, Vientiane

Situated on Setthathirat Road, just opposite to Wat Si Saket and very close to the Presidential Palace is Ho Phra Kaew, one of Vientiane's most ancient temple.

It is not an active temple now that means the site is no longer used for worship but is still considered a sacred place since the Emerald Buddha was once housed here.

 

Ho Phra Kaew was called "Wat Phra Kaew", that is the "Temple of Emerald Buddha" till the time the statue was housed there. It is now called "Ho Phra Kaew" or the "Altar of the Emerald Buddha" as only the empty altar remains. The image is in a wat with the same name, Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok.

History:

• Built in 1565 by King Setthathirat, it was the royal chapel of Laos Monarchy and also housed the Emerald Buddha.
• Since the temple was used as Setthathirat's personal place of worship, no monks used to live here.
  
• Emerald Buddha remained in the temple for almost 200 years till 1778, after which the Thais invaded Vientiane.
• the image was taken to Chiang Mai and is then to Bangkok where it still remains.
• the temple was rebuilt in 1816 by King Anouvong and a new image was placed at the altar.
• Sadly, Vientiane was again attacked in 1828.
  
• It was rebuilt in 1936-1942.
• It was renovated in 1970 and again in 1993 and has remained like that till now.

 

 entrance to museum

Wat Si Saket opposite Wat Phra Kaew

entrance gate

entrance ticket

information board

A painted representation of Plain of jars

2,000 years old stone jar on display from the Plain of Jars

On the side, is a beautifully carved tree trunk

front view of sim

The gable of sim is intricately decorated in gold on red background. Buddha is seen on a three-headed Erawan or Airawat in the center.

There are three Buddha images seated on a lotus below Airawat. The rest of the gable is decorated with flowers and leaves.

side view

The multi tiered roof has a dok so faa in its center and is decorated with Naga finials. The sides on the roof have chofaa.

dok so faa on top of sim

side entrance

The entrance on all sides has a stairway with naga guarding on both side of entrance. The body of naga extends over the balustrade towards the temple.

naga at the entrance

window of sim

wooden crafted door

Original carved wooden doors to sim still stand to date. They are behind glass to preserve them.

entrance to sim

At the entrance, are two Buddha images in Abhay mudra.

Inside the museum, there are glass cupboards along the wall in which are displayed stone tablets, carvings, manuscripts.

In the center is an empty small altar in which the Emerald Buddha was once kept. At the rear of the room, is an image of Buddha. People come and pay obeisance here. Unfortunately, taking pictures in not permitted inside the museum.

A corridor runs all around the central room. It probably served as a corridor for circumambulation . Stone stele, images of Buddha have all been placed in the corridor now.

inscribed stone tablets

corridor with Buddha image

The walls are beautifully decorated through out.

17th -18th century unusual standing Buddha mudra

Buddha stands with arms crossed in front of the waist with right hand covering the left hand. After Buddha attained enlightenment, he was filled with gratitude and stood in this mudra in front of the Bodhi tree without blinking his eyes for a week.

This act of Buddha is a symbol of great appreciation and connection with the tree, reminding us to cultivate gratitude for things that give us happiness.

the original post still stands

door at the rear side

 

 

Buddha in bhumisparsha mudra

stone tablets by the side of corridor

Buddha in bhumisparsha  mudra

a stone tablet with praying Buddha

rear side of sim

Two statues of Buddha stand at the rear side of sim. One statue stands in abhay mudra while the one on my left side is Buddha's readiness to help and assist all beings mudra.

stone turtle

stone tablets and old door posts lie in a corner

metal lion near a door

 

Though the Emerald Buddha is not inside the museum, the place is worth a visit.

 

 Timings:

8 am to 12 13:00 to 16:00

Wat Si Muang, Vientiane

One of the very important temples to visit in Vientiane is Wat Si Muang or Simoung. It is known for its central pillar which is the spiritual heart of the city. The central pillar is now located to another place nearby.

Being a sacred temple, people come for peace and blessings.

 

Legend of the temple:

When Vientiane was being built, the king decided to erect a city pillar. While digging a hole for the pillar, underground water gushed out and would not stop. Taking it as the anger of spirits and to stop the flow of water, a young pregnant girl named Si Muang, volunteered to jump into the hole to plug the source of water.

Hundred days later, the hole filled and the pillar was erected on the ground. The temple was named Si Muang to honor the brave girl's sacrifice. According to another legend, Si Muang jumped into the hole where the central pillar was to be placed and was crushed when the pillar was lowered into the hole. She is therefore revered as a guardian city spirit, and the temple is known as the 'Mother temple' of Vientiane.

 

History:

• Like That Luang, this temple too is built on the ruins of a Khmer Hindu temple, though this is the oldest.
• It was built around 12th century making it the oldest pagoda, almost 900 years old.
  
• the remains of old temple can be seen behind the ordination hall.
• The temple was built by King Setthathirath in 1536 at exactly the place where Si Muang sacrificed her life.
• In 1828, Thais invaded Vientiane and most of the city along with this wat was destroyed.
  
• The temple has an area of more than 2 hectares and has many other temples around the sim.
  
• The central pillar in sim may be a stone pillar from this temple or some another Khmer shrine.
  
• It was rebuilt in 1915 after it was destroyed by Thais after they invaded Vientiane.

 entrance gate

view of gate from outside

Near the car park, under the bodhi tree are Buddha images in various mudras.

On the side under the same tree is a big image of Buddha. It is in Na Plok mudra, the Buddha meditating under a canopy of Muchalinda.

Ordination hall or Sim:

The exterior and interior decorations in sim are exquisite. Usually, sim consists of one room but here there are two rooms. The building of sim is stunning with a beautiful gable.

outside view of sim

gable depicting scenes from the life of Buddha

The gable of sim illustrates Buddha sitting in meditative posture or dhyaan mudra. Below him are seated his disciples with folded hands.

Below the above illustration are three scenes from Buddha's life: first one on the left shows Buddha with his five important disciples, Gautam becomes Buddha and is being blessed by celestial deities, below him are seated kings and nobles on one side and monks on the other. The illustration on right depicts Buddha meditating under a bodhi tree.

Entrance to sim is guarded by a pair of golden roaring lions on each side.

 

Inside of sim:

Front hall:

drum and gong in a corner of room

The sim walls are painted with scenes from the life of Buddha.

 

 carved door at entrance

decorative colorful gong

monk blessing a family

In contrast to other temples, where the interior is in a combination of red and gold, the sim in Wat Si Muang is lavishly adorned with pillars in gold on a background of green. The ceilings are in red and gold.

The outer front room has monks blessing people and tying the sacred thread (Baci) to bring good luck and fortune.

colored friezes on ceiling and painted scenes on Buddha's life

ornamentation on ceiling

The interior of the temple is lavishly adorned in the usual manner with carved gold pillars, brightly colored ceiling friezes and painted scenes from the life of the Buddha.

 the central image

The image in the center of sim holds special importance. When Siam invaded Vientiane in 1828, the wat was burnt down along with many other places in the city. Only the central stone seated image survived the disaster.

It is believed that if a woman in her first pregnancy comes and requests Buddha to help, she has no problems with her pregnancy and can easily deliver her baby.

 

central stone image flanked by two Buddha images

front view of image

side view

Somewhat melted-looking seated stone Buddha which survived the 1828 fire. The stone shows signs of blisters over it.

Buddha image on the side of central image

the huge front hall

Emerald Buddha on top of donation box

Spiritual beliefs and practices in wat, girl with Kau Chim oracles, fortune sheets in right of picture

Kau Chim oracles:

These are 78 fortune telling sticks where a person puts a question and the answers are interpreted from the flat sticks.

After donation money has put in donation box, the sticks called "qian" are shuffled. The shuffled sticks are dropped back in the container.

The stick which sticks out the highest is picked up. In front, below the donation box, are fortune papers kept in different sections. The stick which was picked has a number and corresponding to that number, one finds the fortune written in the section.

woman praying

A golden heavy stone statue placed on a pillow or mat is seen specially in this wat. It has the power to grant wishes if one raises it and brings to his forehead three times praying at the same time. Most of its gold color is lost by being handled many times.

Once the wishes are answered, you are supposed to come back with an offering of bananas, flowers, green coconut, candles, joss sticks usually with two of each.

Rear hall:

The rear hall is the worship hall and you see plenty of Buddha images.

The focus in this room does not go to any huge image of Buddha but a column surrounded by Buddha images.

In the center of room, is a column wrapped around by a cloth. The pillar is not placed on a pedestal but seems to go deeper down in the ground.

This is the city pillar or lák meuang which is surrounded by many Buddha images. According to some source, it is a part of Shivlinga which belonged to the ruined Khmer temple. Actually, during the reign of Jayavarman VII (1181-1218), Vientiane and its surrounding area was under Khmer control.

the copper colored ceiling with carved wood decorations is very different from the front room

central stone and ceiling

central stone

a very old painting on ceiling

carved doors of rear room of sim

On the sides of sim are seen sema stones. Sema stones are the sacred boundary of sim. Roaring lions guard the entrance.

Ruins of Khmer temple:

Just behind the sim, is a pile of stones which is wrapped by a green cloth at top, probably the shikhar. These are the ruins of an old Khmer Hindu temple.

Laterite blocks with porous surfaces was commonly used as the building material during that time.

Khmer style piece of work

entrance to shrine

The ruins of temple is now revered as a chedi or stupa.

 Entrance has Mae Thorani or Mother Earth goddess on one side.

 

Garuda on the other side

The base of temple is lined by Buddha images

standing Buddha

side view of temple ruins

a spirit house(San Phra Phum)

This is something which is commonly seen not only in Laos but throughout South-east Asia. Some are beautifully made and colored. They are usually made from wood or cement. They look like a smaller version of a temple.

Mostly seen in this region, it is not a Buddhist tradition but is more related to animist practice. People believe that they house any nearby spirits. Offerings are made of drinks, food, fruits, candles etc.

lion guarding the temple

rear view of temple

On the side, is an entrance with many images inside.

statue of Si Muang, patron deity of the city

Locals come and make offerings in front of the image.

We met two young girls who came from Bangalore, I forgot to ask their names, but if, whenever they read this blog, they would know and remember the moment.

temple beside car park

Brahma

temple

Buddhist monastery with Buddha and Dhamma wheel

drum tower near entrance gate

temple guardian near entrance

relaxation area

dok so faa on top

gable of room and standing Buddha in front

chofaa and gable

Indra

inside the relaxation area

Girl selling flowers, incense, candles

Opening hours:

from 6:00 to 19:00 everyday

Being one of the most important and oldest wat, Wat Si Muang is definitely a place to visit.