Wat Poh Thong (วัดโพธิ์ทอง), also transliterated Wat Pho Thong, is the name of a
Buddhist temple in Bangkok's Jomthong (จอมทอง) District, whose name translates
from Thai as ‘Temple of the Golden Knowledge’. Off the beaten track and tucked
away in a quiet corner along some small canals in western Bangkok, this charming
temple has a great variety of unique statues of Buddhist and Hindu mythology. It
also has a multiple domed hall dedicated to King Rama X with murals depicting
scenes from his life and coronation. The main and central image of worship in
this hall, i.e. the Phra prathaan, is however a large statue of the Hindu god
Ganesha. In addition, it houses a number of life-sized golden statues depicting
deities from Hinduism, as well as from Buddhism, from both the Mahayana and
Theravada schools of thought. Its inner walls, ceiling and domes are adorned
with colourful murals. The painting of the ceiling of the lobby is fashioned in
the form of a giant mandala, while the main dome has a large painting of the
legless demon and god of darkness Rahu swallowing the sun, or alternatively the
moon, which is here represented by a rounded window that lets in the natural
light. There is also a large mural depicting the Churning of the Ocean of Milk
and opposite of it a mural of the god Indra riding his three-headed elephant
Airavata, who was produced during the churning of the Ocean of Milk and whose
name means ‘Arisen from the Ocean’. The elephant, known in Thai as Erawan, is
painted thrusting towards the viewer. The adoration of the royal family is also
expressed in the murals of the temple ubosot, that has a number of depictions
from scene in the life of King Rama IX, as well as of the Grand Palace and some
famous historical and Buddhist sites in and around the capital, such as the
Golden Mount of Wat Saket, the Mahakan Fort (Pom Maha Kaan) and Phra Phutta
Monthon. The complex also has a small mondop or sala-like edifice, known as Wang
Ong Phaya Muchalin Nagaraat (วังองค์พญามุจลินท์นาคราช), i.e. ‘Palace of the
Naga-King Phaya Muchalinda’. On either side of its front entrance is a statue of
a hermit (reusi): one standing, the other seated. Inside are a number of rather
unique statues, including one of Tao Ramathep, Phra Upakhut (Shin U Pagok), Phra
Siwalih (Shin Thiwali), Trimurti, Phra pit tah (Phra Maha Ut) seated on a coiled
snake, and so on. The temple also features a large teak building in traditional
style which in the front has an outdoor altar with a variety of deities,
including statues of several yak (giants), Phaya Suban (Garuda), Phra
Sangkatjaai seated on a turtle, Phra Siam Thewathiraat, etc. In the back of this
wooden building, on the canal side, is a statute of a dancing Ganesha, flanked
by two Garudas and facing a golden multi-headed naga that stands with its back
to the canal. To the left of this is a wooden sala with a golden statue of King
Rama V wearing the Crown of Victory, and a scale model of an ancient three
masted sailing ship. Another unique statue is found to the left on the outside
of the southern entrance to the temple complex, i.e. a Buddha image in the Pahng
nahg prok pose, in which the snake coils its body around the Buddha, rather than
depicted as usual, i.e. with the Buddha seated in meditation on the coiled body
of the naga. This statue on the outside of the temple wall forms the back of a
shrine within the temple complex that houses other rare statues, such as that of
Muchalinda seated on a multi-headed snake and a multi-headed Shiva. In the
centre of the complex, underneath a tree in between the many buildings, is a
gilded statue of Bhumidevi (Thoranih), the goddess of the earth, whilst in the
tree hang traditional Thai dresses in various colours, clothes typically worn
and offered to Mae Soi Manee (แม่สร้อยมณี), i.e. the ‘mothers of the ruby
necklace’. Woven like a spiderweb, hanging from the ceiling in both the temple's
ubosot and the Muchalinda Palace, are white sai sin (สายสิญจน์) threads that
lead to the principal Buddha image, or to the main statues in case of the
nada-king's palace. Those are part of the seubchatah (สืบชะตา) succession
ceremony. They span the interior of the edifice and additional vertical threads
will be hung from them that will be connected to the heads of the monks and the
people sitting
on the floor
underneath it. This physical connection symbolizes
the spiritual one and is believed to bring good fortune and prolong life.
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