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Phra Phutta Monthon (พระพุทธมณฑล)
Thai-Pali. ‘Buddha-circle’ or
‘Buddha-mandala (fig.)’. Name of a 2,500
krabiad (15.875 meters) high
image of a
walking Buddha in
Sukhothai style,
designed by
Corrado Feroci (fig.) located in Phutta Monthon, a large
Buddhist compound in Nakhon Pathom province (fig.), which is shaped like a giant mandala
(fig.).
Whereas the
Buddha image is usually referred to as Phra Phutta Monthon, the park is also called just Phutta Monthon. The complex was built in 1957 to
commemorate the celebration of the 25th Century of the Buddhist
Era (2500
BE)
and is erected in a 2,500
rai
(ca. 400 hectare) landscaped park with
topiary, in the
tambon Salaya (ศาลายา), in the
ampheu Phutthamonthon (พุทธมณฑล), near the city of
Nakhon Pathom.
Construction which took three years to complete, started in 1954 by directive of the then prime minister
Field Marshal
Phibun Songkram (fig.). The height of the
Buddha image as well as the size of the park symbolically
represent the year 2500 (fig.). The park is also referred to as Phra Phutta Monthon and
contains several
granite
lotus pedestals (fig.) called
tahnphraphuttarup, i.e. pedestals
for
Buddha images (fig.), that represent the major stages in the Buddha's life and which in Thai-Pali are referred to as
sangwechaniyasathaan sih
tambon
(สังเวชนียสถาน ๔ ตำบล), i.e. the four
most important stages of the Buddha's life, namely his birth (fig.),
his
Enlightenment (fig.),
his first discourse (fig.), and his demise (fig.).
These stages, symbolized by stone pedestals, are also represented on a set of Thai postage stamps issued in 1988 (fig.). The area also has a temporary residence for the Buddhist patriarch, a residence
for guest monks, a
vihaan, meditation halls, a ceremonial hall
and a Buddhist museum (map - fig.). In the western side of the park is a Thai herbs pavilion
and to the South of it a
mango garden. At present important Buddhist ceremonies
and festivals, such as
Visakha Bucha,
Makha Bucha,
Asaanha Bucha and
Loi Krathong,
are held at the Phra Phutta Monthon compound. A replica of the
Phra Sian
(head) of the Phra Phutta Monthon Buddha image stands in the Hall of Sculpture
at the
Silpakorn University
in Bangkok (fig.).
In 2007 (2551 BE) the Phra Phutta Monthon Buddha image was refurbished (fig.).
The full, official name of the Phra Phutta Monthon Buddha image in Thai is
Phra Sri
Sakkaya Thotsaphonlayan Prathan Phutta Monthon Sutthat.
Also transcibed Phra Phuttamonthon.
See
also POSTAGE STAMP (1),
(2)
and
(3),
QUADCOPTER PICTURE,
TRAVEL PICTURES (1) and (2), and
MAP.
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