Wat Sala Loi (วัดศาลาลอย)

Thai. ‘Temple of the Floating Sala’. Name of a Buddhist temple along the Takhong Kao River, in the vicinity of the Korat Museum, in Nakhon Ratchasima. It is an old temple that Lady Suranari (fig.) had built in 1827, after her victory in the battle against the 3,000 men strong Laotian army of King Anuwong, which she defeated in 1826. The temple became a monument to Lady Suranari and after her death, a memorial pagoda was built to contain her ashes. The main hall is built with local materials, such as clay tiles from Dahn Kwian Pottery Village (map - fig.), that are used to decorate the front and back walls, that depict Buddhist stories during the Mara period, whilst the door is made from metal with embossed depictions of the Maha Vessantara Jataka. Inside is a white Buddha image that is known as Phra Phuttha Praphat Sunthorn Thama Phisan Sala Loi Piman Worasantisuk Munin, and which is depicted in the abhaya pose with two hands raised (fig.), a mudra that refers to the Buddha's story of ‘restraining the waters’. In front of the main hall, there is a stucco figure of Lady Suranari seated in the middle of a pond. On the side is a small stupa, which was once used to house Lady Suranari's ashes. The temple also has a tropical garden with a waterfall and there are several shrines dedicated to various other figures and deities. See MAP. 回