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| Golden Mount at the Temple |
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a Theravada wat in Chiang Mai Province. Theravada is the more conservative branch of Buddhism that is mostly practiced in Southeast Asia. Chiang Mai (Rose of the North) is the former kingdom of Siam!
The temple is often referred to as Doi Suthep although this is actually the name of the mountain where it's located. A sacred site to many Thai people, the temple is perched atop a 3, 542 foot peak and 15 kilometers from the city of Chiang Mai.
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| Another view of golden mount |
The wat can be reached by climbing 309 very steep steps or by hitching a ride on the funicular! Needless to say, most of us chose the funicular. We were told to wear respectful clothing (nothing too short or too revealing that might tempt the many celibate monks who worship there). Unfortunately, one of our fellow tourists was wearing shorts that were considered inappropriate by the guards, so she was given a temporary traditional silk wrap skirt while on the site.
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| Orchids can be found just about everywhere |
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| a carving of the Hindu god Ganesh |
In 1383 the first stupa was built in this area. According to legend, a monk from the Sukhothai Kingdom had a dream. In this dream he was told to go to Pang Cha and look for a relic. Upon this quest, he found a bone that he believed was the shoulder bone of the Buddha. The relic displayed magical powers as it glowed, was able to move and vanish. When he presented this magical relic to the king it displayed none of its super powers so the king told the monk to simply keep the relic for himself.
Another king in northern Thailand had heard of the relic and summoned the monk to bring it to him. Once there, the relic broke into two pieces. One piece was enshrined at a temple in Suandok; the other was placed by the king on the back of a white elephant which was then released into the jungle. Legend is that the elephant climbed Doi Suthep Mountain, trumpeted three times, then dropped dead which was perceived as an omen. The king immediately ordered construction of a temple at the site.
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| The shoes of hundreds of visitors had to be removed before entering the temple |
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| Sacred inner sanctum of the temple |
The temple is kept in pristine condition and the public is very respectful of the very holy shrine.
Unlike the Buddhist Temples in Kathmandu that had prayer flags strung throughout, these temples had large scrolls on which the pilgrims could write messages and prayers to Buddha.
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| Woman writes a prayer to Buddha |
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| Lighting candles to Buddha |
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| Jade Buddha |
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| The monks worship and study here |
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Reclining Buddha
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A reclining Buddha is an iconic representation of the Buddha just before his death. These statues are always lying on their right side with their heads supported by their right hands.
Gene and I decided to walk down the 309 steps to exit the temple. The view of distant Chiang Mai was spectacular. At the bottom, several street vendors were selling brass chime bells and we bought one for our Christmas tree ornament collection.
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| 309 steps as seen from the bottom. Note the serpent handrails. |
Time to return to the glorious Four Seasons Resort in the jungle outside Chiang Mai. Tonight we plan to dine in the authentic Thai restaurant at this resort, complete with authentic traditional Thai food and dancing.
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| Beautiful Thai dancer |
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| View from the pool and terrace |
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