Wat Phitchaya Yahtikarahm Worawihaan (วัดพิชยญาติการามวรวิหาร)

Thai. Name of an ancient Buddhist temple in Bangkok's Thonburi district, that at some was abandoned, until it in 1829 AD was renovated by Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Phichaiyaht, who is also known as Tat Bunnag and whose statue today stands at the temple's front entrance (fig.), adjacent to a Buddha image in the pahng hahm samut pose, i.e. standing while performing an abhaya-mudra with both hands raised. After its restoration, which was finalized in 1832 AD, King Rama III (fig.) named the temple Wat Phraya Yahtikarahm (วัดพระยาญาติการาม), in honour of Tat. It is a compound name that points to the bandasak of Tat, then a Phraya, and the fact that the Bunnag family through marriage had become relatives to the royal family, i.e. yaht (ญาติ), which in Thai is spelled with a silent vowel ‘i’ at the end, which is only pronounced in compound words, whereas araam is another term for ‘temple’, whilst the ‘k’ is used as a linking element or interfix. King Rama IV later renamed the temple Phitchaya Yahtikarahm making its connection to Tat more personal, while he declared it a second class royal monastery, adding the titles wora and viharn, i.e. a compound appendix usually transliterated Worawihaan, and meaning ‘royal chapel’. The temple is in Thai-Chinese style and the roof of the ubosot, i.e. the main prayer hall, lacks the usual chofa (fig.) and bai raka (fig.), typical on most Thai Buddhist temple roofs elsewhere. Instead, the ubosot's gable board is decorated with porcelain figures of Chinese dragons, phoenixes, and a puranakata or Treasure Vase. The ubosot's principal Buddha image is seated in the maravijaya pose and is known as Phra Sittharot, i.e. ‘Siddhartha Buddha’, as well as by the name Luang Pho Somprathana (หลวงพ่อสมปรารถนา), which translates as the ‘Revered Father who Fulfills One's Wish’. In front of the ubosot are some stone sculptured figures from China, i.e. granite statues of Imperial Guardian Lions (fig.) and Chinese door gods, that are said to have been brought to Siam as ballast to weigh down the otherwise empty ships. In front of the ubosot, to the right of the entrance is a golden statue of Thoranee (fig.), and to the left is a gilded statue of Phra Sangkatjaai. In between the temple's front entrance and the ubosot are two stupas built in Singhalese style and known as Chedi Koo (เจดีย์คู่), i.e. the ‘Twin Pagodas’, which each are 11 wah (ca. 22 meter) tall and have a square base with a circumference of 23 wah (ca. 46 meter), and are described as miniature versions of the Phra Borommathat Chedi of Nakhon Sri Thammarat (fig.). One stupa houses a silver Buddha image known as Luang Pho Ngeun (หลวงพ่อเงิน - fig.), the other a golden called Luang Pho Thong (หลวงพ่อทอง - fig.) and both decorated, one with silver, the other with golden flowers, reminiscent of ton mai ngeun ton mai thong (fig.). On the right and left sides of the ubosot, along the temple's surrounding walls, are small rock gardens fashioned in the style of Chinese rockery and used to enshrine ashes of deceased local citizens. In the back of the compound is a large white prang that incorporates a traditional Thai-style multiple temple roof with bird's head-like finials called chofa, and topped with a golden noppasoon, i.e. the decorative spire on the apex of the prang. The main tower is surrounded by four smaller prangs and on each of the four sides of the main prang is a niche that contains a standing Buddha image. The circumference of the base of the prang is 33 wah and 2 sok (ca. 67.22 meter), while its height measured from the bottom to the top of the spire is 21 wah, 1 sok, and 10 niw (ca. 42.82 meter). See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12) and (13), and MAP. 回