Wat Suthat is one of the six most important and is the hightest grade of first class Royal temples in Bangkok.
The others apart from Wat Suthat being, Wat Arun, Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklaram, Wat Benjamabopit Dusitwanaram(Wat Bencha), Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, Wat Ratchabophit Sathitmahsasimaran Ratchabophit Sathitmahasasimaran Ratchworawihan.
In front of the temple is a giant swing which forms a very prominent landmarks of this temple.
giant swing or Sao Ching chaa outside the temple
History of temple:
- On the occassion of 27th anniversary of Bangkok being made the capital, King Rama I in 1807, founded the temple at the central area of the city and named it Wat Sutthawas.
- He built the wiharn similar to Wat Phanan Choeng in Ayutthaya. The Sukhothai style bronze Buddha image was brought from Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai and installed inside the viharn. The image was called Phra Toh or Phra Yai meaning the "Big Buddha".
- It was also called Wat Sao Ching Cha since it is located just next to the giant swing.
- Unfortunately, the King passed away before the construction could complete.
- King Rama II (King Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai), got the door panels engraved. But, he too passed away.
- The viharn was finally completed during the reign of King Rama III in 1847.
- after this, the ubosot (ordination hall) was constructed along with the principal image for ubosot.
- the temple was renamed Wat Suthat Thepwararam.
- King Rama IV (King Mongkut) changed the name of image in viharn from Phra Toh to Phra Phuttha Sri Sakkayanmuni and the one in ubosot was named Phra Phutta Trilokachet.
- This wat can be said as a monument of the Rama VIII (King Ananda Mahidol) as his ashes were burried under the front altar of main image of viharn in 1950.
map
Phra Vihara Khot or Phra Rabieng Khot:
Surrounding the viharn, just on entrance after the ticket counter is a cloister in which are seated 2 meter high, 156 Buddha in meditative posture or dhyaan mudra. The cloister is chatumukh, having four mouths, in this case having four entrances.
The roof is double tiered and the entrance is guarded by door guadians on its either side.
decorated door
The wooden gable board on top of main entrance is decorated with glass mosaic with Vishnu riding on Garuda in the center.
Phra Vihara Khot was constructed during the reign of King Rama III.
There were some images which were in the process of being painted. The images are undertaken by people to make merit for their departed ones.
The walls are decorated with scenes from Ramakein (Ramayana), but they were in a bad state and needs repair.
Sometimes, pictures of loved ones are pasted under the image of Buddha.
the inside view of Viharn Khot
Viharn or Phra Vihara Luang:
The main viharn is in three levels. It is surrounded by 28 sandstone pagoda on its second level wall. It has four pavilions at its four corners which are miniature version of the main viharn. Below the pavilions stand bronze horses and another one on the lowest level. So, there are 8 horses all around.
The main viharn is on the upper level where the principal image is housed.
sandstone pagodas
7 sandstone pagodas of eight levels line each side of viharn.
Viharn pavilion with bronze horse in front. Another horse stands on the lower level. There are thus eight horses around the viharn
The pavilion has a standing image of Buddha inside, but it was covered with a red cloth when we visited the place.
28 sandstone pagodas or Tha surround the viharn
The main entrance has two side entrances. The main entrance to viharn was inaccessible so we went inside through the side entrance.
The rear of the viharn too has a main entrance and two side entrances.
ornately decorated pediment of entrance
principal image of Phra Phuttha Sri Sakkayamuni inside the viharn
The image is 8 meters tall and 6.25 meters wide. It was brought from Sukhothai by boat. The viharn is said to be tallest in Bangkok due to the huge image of Buddha housed there. Behind the image, I could see iron scaffolding as repair work was in progress.
Phra Sri Sakkayamuni is the largest and oldest bronze image in Thailand.
The base of the image is 6.25 metres wide and has a height of 8 metres. Below the image, ashes of King Rama VIII (King Ananda Mahidol) are placed in an urn.
columns are painted with early life of Bangkok
roof of viharn
murals all over the hall
columns too are painted with murals
beautifully decorated windows
door of viharn
The original ones were handcrafted by King Rama II himself and are said to be a masterpiece. They are now in the National Museum.
The roof of viharn is sloping and has two tiers.
Chinese figures in front of rear entrance
Near the sema structures, are marble platforms with steps. These platforms were used by the King for donations to his people during royal merit making cermonies.
The principal image in ubosot, Phra Phutta Trilokachet is cast in bronze and is 5.20 meters wide and is 8.45 meters high.
front view of viharn
rear of viharn
I was a little surprised when I saw Chinese statues and other figures in the temple courtyard. These statues were brought by Chinese merchants to keep their vessels stable before making a return journey to China carrying products from Thailand. They of course, did not need them while going back so they remained here. Many temples in Thailand have such Chinese figures. which were left behind.
The front part of vihara has Vishnu on Garuda while the one behind has Indra sitting on three headed Airawat.
vihara gable, Vishnu on Garuda
Indra sits on a three-headed Airawat
Ubosot:
The ubosot here is said to be the longest in Thailand.
door connecting viharn to ubosot
entrance to ubosot
The ordination hall has 72.25 meter high ceiling and like viharn also has murals painted on its walls. The area is cordoned and it is not permitted to go closer to image.
In 1864, Rama IV or King Mongkut got "Asitimahasavaka", or plastered figures of eighty prominent disciples of Buddha. They sit just below the main image facing an image of Buddha in salutation listening to his sermons.
West side ubosot wooden gable decorated with glass mosaic, gold leaves. In the center is Moon God riding on his chariot.
There are 8 sema stones around ubosot which stand on the wall between viharn and ubosot
King Mahidol (Rama VIII Monument:
King Rama VIII monument in the north-west corner of courtyard facing the viharn
June 9 is marked every year to make the royal ceremony of merit making here.
The giant swing:
Opposite to Wat Suthat is a giant swing. It was earlier in front of Devasathan, a Hindu temple, quite close to the wat.
History of the swing:
The center of Brahmin activity here in Thailand is around Devasthana, a Hindu temple which was established in 1784 by King Rama I to perform ceremonies for the royal every year.
The priests came from Tamil Nadu, a state in south India. They became the Royal Priests perfoming all the rituals for the Kings.
The role of these Brahmins is very important still during the Royal Ploughing Ceremony to forecast the production of crop for the year.
It was believed that Lord Shiva or Shiwa visited annually so Triyamphway, a festival was celebrated. The God was served rice, fruits. Great swing at Sao Chingcha was a part of the celebrations.
The swing is 21.15 meters high and used to be 24 meters above ground when in full swing. It got damaged by lightening and the ceremony had to be discontinued. In 1920, it was renovated and shifted to its present location as that space was needed for a gas plant.
This ceremony resumed but was discontinued in 1932, during the reign of King Rama VII owing to the number of accidents.
Abandoned pillars of giant swing is what we see in front of Wat Suthat.
Relation between Wat Saket and Wat Suthat:
Wat Saket was one of places assigned to cremate the dead during cholera epidemic. Since, the number of dead far more exceeded than could be cremated, the family left the bodies there. This invited vultures to come and devour the deads.
Many people in Wat Suthat believed that they see pret or hungry ghost in front of the temple at night. This was further strengthened by a mural depicting a lanky white figure being given water by monks.
It is believed that what people saw at night was the giant swing which stands in front of the temple, leading people to see some tall structure at night.
Timings: open everyday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
entrance fee: 20 Baht
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