Showing posts with label Day 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Day 3. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Diary Entry: Day 3
Written By: Cici Wei Jia Xi.
Today, relative to prior ones thus far, was such a busy day for all of us. We went to three Buddhist temples, visited one local Muslim community, flocked Waororat market and attended a cultural dinner performance in Chiang Mai Cultural centre.
Knowing that we are going to cycle around the walled – city for the whole day, everybody gathered this morning armed with comfortable shoes, helmets, water, and scarf all ready for battle. Lacking the ability to cycle was not a disadvantage because we had generous student guides offering the back of their motorbikes to people who could not pedal to save their lives.
At nine thirty, we are on the way to our first destination - Wat Phra Singh temple. Along the way, we passed by the famous city wall, Three Kings Museum and many other interesting places. After 15 minutes of cycling, Wat Phra Singh Temple was at sight.
There, we spoke to one of the oldest monks that serve the temple and community, Reverend Phrakrupwittan, who has been a monk since he was 17 years old (presently 67 years old). According to him, this temple is approximately 660 years old, in which it serves as a place for blessings, good fortune, and allows for people commemorate the memory of their loved ones. These devotees make an offering almost every week when they come.
At the second Buddhist temple, Wat Chideeluang, we had the pleasure to witness a special mechanism for offering. Offerings, often flowers, incense or fruit, are placed in the white container, and then with a string and pulley, brought up to the apex of the temple.
And at the donation stand, Julie our student guide showed us an interesting way of folding flowers used as offerings during prayers or rituals.
And we all got to eat delicious coconut ice cream sandwiches (which isn’t new for everyone, but it still tasted really good).
Next, we visited a local Muslim community, many of us got lost on the way. It took half an hour for the student guides to gather all of us, just in time for lunch at Masjid Al-Taqwa. In between bites, we had some time for little entertainment- “table tennis war” between, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Philippines and Zimbabwe. During the session, we met up with the Muslim representatives from the mosque and youth members of the community. They engage in various activities, such as charity event for elders, HIV campaigns and also run their own religious high school.
The last temple we visited had in itself a museum; the museum exhibited many antiques of which most once belonged to the monks of the temple. There are also many other vintage items, such as an old gramophone, a 70 year-old fan, many different currencies from different times, old photos of many famous monks and so on.
Our next destination, the Waororat market, we went with intentions to try some street food. Most of us loved the Thai “ice kacang” with green and red syrup, and it only cost us 10 baht (RM1). We also had another incident of missing person; but unlike the previous incident of a misguided intuition (turn left, not right!), this particular traveller purposely lost himself in the sea of food.
When we reached home (I supposed, after four days, a guesthouse does start to morph itself into one), everybody was exhausted yet excited by the idea of going to watch different Thai dances in the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre. We reached there at 7pm and everybody enjoyed some food while nicely and comfortably seating on the ground with cushions; a total juxtaposition to a full day of heavy cycling. Apart from getting leid* (pun intended), we were also allowed to join the dancers on stage before the cultural performances formally ended.
When we reach our hotel, it was nearly 10pm. Even the loud music of the bar nearby our hotel would not spoil our mood for such fine night and everybody was more excited than exhausted for the prospect of the rest of the trip.
Editor's note: Getting "leid" is an act of having someone put a jasmine lei around one's neck.
Today, relative to prior ones thus far, was such a busy day for all of us. We went to three Buddhist temples, visited one local Muslim community, flocked Waororat market and attended a cultural dinner performance in Chiang Mai Cultural centre.
Knowing that we are going to cycle around the walled – city for the whole day, everybody gathered this morning armed with comfortable shoes, helmets, water, and scarf all ready for battle. Lacking the ability to cycle was not a disadvantage because we had generous student guides offering the back of their motorbikes to people who could not pedal to save their lives.
At nine thirty, we are on the way to our first destination - Wat Phra Singh temple. Along the way, we passed by the famous city wall, Three Kings Museum and many other interesting places. After 15 minutes of cycling, Wat Phra Singh Temple was at sight.
Wat Phra Singh in its golden glory
There, we spoke to one of the oldest monks that serve the temple and community, Reverend Phrakrupwittan, who has been a monk since he was 17 years old (presently 67 years old). According to him, this temple is approximately 660 years old, in which it serves as a place for blessings, good fortune, and allows for people commemorate the memory of their loved ones. These devotees make an offering almost every week when they come.
Reverend Phrakrupwittan, like many monks, speak fluent English
At the second Buddhist temple, Wat Chideeluang, we had the pleasure to witness a special mechanism for offering. Offerings, often flowers, incense or fruit, are placed in the white container, and then with a string and pulley, brought up to the apex of the temple.
Offerings with a string and pulley
Cyren and Cici at Wat Chideeluang
And at the donation stand, Julie our student guide showed us an interesting way of folding flowers used as offerings during prayers or rituals.
Ice cream in a cone, plastic cup or bread roll
And we all got to eat delicious coconut ice cream sandwiches (which isn’t new for everyone, but it still tasted really good).
Antique gramophone
Next, we visited a local Muslim community, many of us got lost on the way. It took half an hour for the student guides to gather all of us, just in time for lunch at Masjid Al-Taqwa. In between bites, we had some time for little entertainment- “table tennis war” between, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Philippines and Zimbabwe. During the session, we met up with the Muslim representatives from the mosque and youth members of the community. They engage in various activities, such as charity event for elders, HIV campaigns and also run their own religious high school.
The last temple we visited had in itself a museum; the museum exhibited many antiques of which most once belonged to the monks of the temple. There are also many other vintage items, such as an old gramophone, a 70 year-old fan, many different currencies from different times, old photos of many famous monks and so on.
Various animal skulls in the community museum at Waororat
Our next destination, the Waororat market, we went with intentions to try some street food. Most of us loved the Thai “ice kacang” with green and red syrup, and it only cost us 10 baht (RM1). We also had another incident of missing person; but unlike the previous incident of a misguided intuition (turn left, not right!), this particular traveller purposely lost himself in the sea of food.
When we reached home (I supposed, after four days, a guesthouse does start to morph itself into one), everybody was exhausted yet excited by the idea of going to watch different Thai dances in the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre. We reached there at 7pm and everybody enjoyed some food while nicely and comfortably seating on the ground with cushions; a total juxtaposition to a full day of heavy cycling. Apart from getting leid* (pun intended), we were also allowed to join the dancers on stage before the cultural performances formally ended.
ISOCM's travellers dancing on stage
When we reach our hotel, it was nearly 10pm. Even the loud music of the bar nearby our hotel would not spoil our mood for such fine night and everybody was more excited than exhausted for the prospect of the rest of the trip.
Editor's note: Getting "leid" is an act of having someone put a jasmine lei around one's neck.
Architectural Legacies of Chiang Mai
Written by: Jillian Ng
The day of seeing the wats around the city moats led us to the site of two famous wats, that is, Wat Pra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang. Buddhist temples in Thailand are referred to as wats. These wats are largely found within and outside the walled city of Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai temples represent the cultural and historical heart of the city; and serve as the main focus of the Thai community. The temples are very much at the heart of the ritual and social life of the Thais.
The moat and the adjacent gate structures are amazing in themselves; the restored Thae Pae gates came into view as we were approaching the moats surrounding the city. And then our first discovery was that the moat has an almost perfect square formation, measuring 18 meters across, with a width of 1800 meters and a length of 2000 meters. This is an amazing feat considering that the square covers such a vast area and it was constructed in the olden days. It was said that Chiang Mai walls and moats were actually oriented to the cardinal points and symbolized the mountains and the seas of the universe; and with all its buildings being positioned based on cosmology, the scientific study of the origin and structure of the universe.
Our first stop brought us to the classic northern Thai style of Wat Pra Singh, also known as the Monastery of the Lion Buddha. The wat was built out of an alloy of gold and copper and is an important landmark of Chiang Mai for over 700 years. Upon entering the wat, one cannot help but notice the steely glare of the Singhs (meaning lions) guarding the ingress of the wat.
The wat was raised about fifteen steps and we had to leave our shoes on the steps before we could enter the wat. Once we were inside the wat, we saw the huge sitting Buddha statue, with its height almost reaching to the ceiling. And directly above the statue, there were the twelve Thai zodiacs inscribed on the ceiling. These zodiacs are similar to the Chinese zodiacs, with the exception that the naga (water snake) is in place of the dragon and the elephant is in place of the swine.
On a stone slab at the side of the steps was engraved with the history of the wat. Previously known as Wat Lee Chiang, the wat was constructed in the year 1345 by King Phayoo of the Mengrai dynasty as a final resting place for his father, King Kam Fu. During the reign of King Saen Muang Ma in the Lanna Thai kingdom Pra Buddasihing, a famous Buddha image (that is the image of the Pra Singh) was transported from Kampaengpet to Chiang Mai. The Buddha image was originally intended to be presented to the King of Chiang Mai. While the Buddha image was being transported to the palace, the chariot broke down nearby this wat; and this had resulted in the Buddha image being installed at this wat instead. Due to this incident, the name of this wat has since been changed from Wat Lee Chiang to Wat Chiang Pra and subsequently, to the present name of Wat Pra Singh. It was noted that in 1772 A.D., this wat went under a major reconstruction initiated by King Kavila. Besides the image of Pra Singh, this wat houses another important Buddha image called Pra Thongtip. In 1941 A.D., the status of Wat Pra Singh was upgraded to that of a royal wat (first class) under the royal patronage.
We then moved on to see the chedi (also known as stupa), which means pagoda. We were given a quick tour around the temple ground of Chedi Luang. Elephant structures can be seen on the temple. Generally, chedis in Chiang Mai take either the stepped style or the bell style. It was from these two basic forms that later chedis have transformed to other shapes. Chedi Luang takes after the stepped style. It was said that the city celebrates the City Pillar Inthakin Festival at Chedi Luang for seven days and nights during the 7th lunar month to pray for peace, happiness and prosperity for the city and its residents. During the festival, there are parades of Buddha images around the city.
This wat was built by King Saen Muang Ma of the Mengrai dynasty, who intended to use the building to house the remains of his father Ku Na. It was said that in the year 1545, the wat was hit by an earthquake which left the structure heavily damaged. After its restoration, the chedi was reduced to 60 meters high compared to its original height of 90 meters. To the left of the wat is a very tall and ancient tree; legend has it that should this tree ever fall, a great misfortune will take place. It was indeed fortunate that this ancient tree still stands today! Interestingly, Chedi Luang was also used as final resting place for the King’s father.
It is seen that the structures in Chiang Mai have been restored to their past glory as close as possible; and have been well-maintained by the present generation. The city of Chiang Mai is indeed a model of how the present day people literally live right next door to the old legacy.
The day of seeing the wats around the city moats led us to the site of two famous wats, that is, Wat Pra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang. Buddhist temples in Thailand are referred to as wats. These wats are largely found within and outside the walled city of Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai temples represent the cultural and historical heart of the city; and serve as the main focus of the Thai community. The temples are very much at the heart of the ritual and social life of the Thais.
The moat and the adjacent gate structures are amazing in themselves; the restored Thae Pae gates came into view as we were approaching the moats surrounding the city. And then our first discovery was that the moat has an almost perfect square formation, measuring 18 meters across, with a width of 1800 meters and a length of 2000 meters. This is an amazing feat considering that the square covers such a vast area and it was constructed in the olden days. It was said that Chiang Mai walls and moats were actually oriented to the cardinal points and symbolized the mountains and the seas of the universe; and with all its buildings being positioned based on cosmology, the scientific study of the origin and structure of the universe.
Moat
Our first stop brought us to the classic northern Thai style of Wat Pra Singh, also known as the Monastery of the Lion Buddha. The wat was built out of an alloy of gold and copper and is an important landmark of Chiang Mai for over 700 years. Upon entering the wat, one cannot help but notice the steely glare of the Singhs (meaning lions) guarding the ingress of the wat.
The shrine at wat pra singh
The wat was raised about fifteen steps and we had to leave our shoes on the steps before we could enter the wat. Once we were inside the wat, we saw the huge sitting Buddha statue, with its height almost reaching to the ceiling. And directly above the statue, there were the twelve Thai zodiacs inscribed on the ceiling. These zodiacs are similar to the Chinese zodiacs, with the exception that the naga (water snake) is in place of the dragon and the elephant is in place of the swine.
Thai zodiacs
On a stone slab at the side of the steps was engraved with the history of the wat. Previously known as Wat Lee Chiang, the wat was constructed in the year 1345 by King Phayoo of the Mengrai dynasty as a final resting place for his father, King Kam Fu. During the reign of King Saen Muang Ma in the Lanna Thai kingdom Pra Buddasihing, a famous Buddha image (that is the image of the Pra Singh) was transported from Kampaengpet to Chiang Mai. The Buddha image was originally intended to be presented to the King of Chiang Mai. While the Buddha image was being transported to the palace, the chariot broke down nearby this wat; and this had resulted in the Buddha image being installed at this wat instead. Due to this incident, the name of this wat has since been changed from Wat Lee Chiang to Wat Chiang Pra and subsequently, to the present name of Wat Pra Singh. It was noted that in 1772 A.D., this wat went under a major reconstruction initiated by King Kavila. Besides the image of Pra Singh, this wat houses another important Buddha image called Pra Thongtip. In 1941 A.D., the status of Wat Pra Singh was upgraded to that of a royal wat (first class) under the royal patronage.
Stone slab
We then moved on to see the chedi (also known as stupa), which means pagoda. We were given a quick tour around the temple ground of Chedi Luang. Elephant structures can be seen on the temple. Generally, chedis in Chiang Mai take either the stepped style or the bell style. It was from these two basic forms that later chedis have transformed to other shapes. Chedi Luang takes after the stepped style. It was said that the city celebrates the City Pillar Inthakin Festival at Chedi Luang for seven days and nights during the 7th lunar month to pray for peace, happiness and prosperity for the city and its residents. During the festival, there are parades of Buddha images around the city.
Chedi Luang
This wat was built by King Saen Muang Ma of the Mengrai dynasty, who intended to use the building to house the remains of his father Ku Na. It was said that in the year 1545, the wat was hit by an earthquake which left the structure heavily damaged. After its restoration, the chedi was reduced to 60 meters high compared to its original height of 90 meters. To the left of the wat is a very tall and ancient tree; legend has it that should this tree ever fall, a great misfortune will take place. It was indeed fortunate that this ancient tree still stands today! Interestingly, Chedi Luang was also used as final resting place for the King’s father.
Damaged portion of Chedi Luang
The ancient tree at Chedi Luang
It is seen that the structures in Chiang Mai have been restored to their past glory as close as possible; and have been well-maintained by the present generation. The city of Chiang Mai is indeed a model of how the present day people literally live right next door to the old legacy.
Thai Muslims in Chiang Mai
Written by: Abeer Yusuf
To converge lunch and a talk/meeting with the local Thai Muslim community, all students travelled by road to Wateket community, an area where people of four different faiths live harmoniously. The aim of the visit was to understand the workings of a minority community and how their existence is shaped differently, what their cultural understandings are, and how they negotiate reality, among other things.
After eating lunch, students observed the Muslims’ Zohor (early afternoon) praying and later sat down with Miss Toi (Pha Toi) and Miss Noi/Farida (Pi Noi) of Masjid Al-Attaqwa, who enlightened the students about the Muslims in Chiang Mai.
Out of an approximate one million residents, 30 000 citizens of Chiang Mai are Muslims. Most of the Thai Muslims in Chiang Mai are from India, China and Burma, unlike the south where the Muslims are mostly from the Malay Archipelago. There are 17 mosques in Chiangmai, 13 of which have received legal status. Each mosque has its own committee and appointed leader, which is chosen by the Chiang Mai Municipality.
Speaking about Chiang Mai’s cultural diversity, Miss Toi said that all religions got along really well, with no one religion discriminating another; “there is freedom to practice the religion. The Government will allow us to build another mosque if we want to.
Miss Toi also said that there was equality of opportunity without discrimination when applying for jobs, adding that “job selection depends on talent rather than on religion”. She also said that female Muslim government officers were permitted to wear hijabs (head cover).
Using an example to demonstrate the togetherness of the various religions, Miss Noi pointed to a local Wateket incident wherein the Chiang Mai Municipality wanted to replace the Wateket community to instead build discotheques and entertainment hubs, but all residents, Muslim and otherwise, rallied together to protest the construction and defend their distinctive Chiang Mai style of living.
Speaking more about inter-racial harmony, Miss Noi mentioned how one of the mosque’s recent activities was a joint awareness campaign taken upon by Buddhist and Muslim youths to educate members of the community about HIV/AIDS ; various religious leaders also converge there to discuss and sort out issues any particular community may have, co-operating well among each other.
The community that thrives within the mosque, established in 2003 undertakes many activities for its community. In the holy month of Ramadan for example, the female youths come together to clean and paint the mosque as well as preparing food for the mosques’ worshippers as part of the fast opening. There are also Quran reading classes offered every Friday evening along with basic teaching of Islamic principles and beliefs. A radio station also broadcasts more information about Islam to those wanting to educate themselves, on air every day. Youth from the community also visit the elderly to comfort them, “to assure them that they are not alone”, said Miss Noi.
After presenting souvenirs on behalf of Monash University, students cycled out back to their respective accommodation.
Editor’s note: Where women are more active in preserving the community, via the preservation of the mosque and its activities, this gives a special twist to the role of women and their compositional significance in the community.
To converge lunch and a talk/meeting with the local Thai Muslim community, all students travelled by road to Wateket community, an area where people of four different faiths live harmoniously. The aim of the visit was to understand the workings of a minority community and how their existence is shaped differently, what their cultural understandings are, and how they negotiate reality, among other things.
After eating lunch, students observed the Muslims’ Zohor (early afternoon) praying and later sat down with Miss Toi (Pha Toi) and Miss Noi/Farida (Pi Noi) of Masjid Al-Attaqwa, who enlightened the students about the Muslims in Chiang Mai.
Students observing the routine of Zuhur at the mosque
Out of an approximate one million residents, 30 000 citizens of Chiang Mai are Muslims. Most of the Thai Muslims in Chiang Mai are from India, China and Burma, unlike the south where the Muslims are mostly from the Malay Archipelago. There are 17 mosques in Chiangmai, 13 of which have received legal status. Each mosque has its own committee and appointed leader, which is chosen by the Chiang Mai Municipality.
Speaking about Chiang Mai’s cultural diversity, Miss Toi said that all religions got along really well, with no one religion discriminating another; “there is freedom to practice the religion. The Government will allow us to build another mosque if we want to.
Miss Toi also said that there was equality of opportunity without discrimination when applying for jobs, adding that “job selection depends on talent rather than on religion”. She also said that female Muslim government officers were permitted to wear hijabs (head cover).
Ms. Mimi translating for Miss Noi and Miss Toi
Using an example to demonstrate the togetherness of the various religions, Miss Noi pointed to a local Wateket incident wherein the Chiang Mai Municipality wanted to replace the Wateket community to instead build discotheques and entertainment hubs, but all residents, Muslim and otherwise, rallied together to protest the construction and defend their distinctive Chiang Mai style of living.
Speaking more about inter-racial harmony, Miss Noi mentioned how one of the mosque’s recent activities was a joint awareness campaign taken upon by Buddhist and Muslim youths to educate members of the community about HIV/AIDS ; various religious leaders also converge there to discuss and sort out issues any particular community may have, co-operating well among each other.
The community that thrives within the mosque, established in 2003 undertakes many activities for its community. In the holy month of Ramadan for example, the female youths come together to clean and paint the mosque as well as preparing food for the mosques’ worshippers as part of the fast opening. There are also Quran reading classes offered every Friday evening along with basic teaching of Islamic principles and beliefs. A radio station also broadcasts more information about Islam to those wanting to educate themselves, on air every day. Youth from the community also visit the elderly to comfort them, “to assure them that they are not alone”, said Miss Noi.
Presentation of gifts by "beautiful" Marsella
Most importantly, the community houses a religious high school for children that teach a curriculum approved by the Thai Government. Should a student choose to enroll into a religious school and not a national school, he or she will not face any discrimination upon entry to universities.After presenting souvenirs on behalf of Monash University, students cycled out back to their respective accommodation.
ISOCM with the ladies of Wataket
Editor’s note: Where women are more active in preserving the community, via the preservation of the mosque and its activities, this gives a special twist to the role of women and their compositional significance in the community.
Following the Dharma
Written By: Cheah Wui Jia
As the prayers of people rise upwards like the burnt incense that drift towards heaven, the people of Chiang Mai seem to yearn for a better tomorrow, for the possibility of miracles and abundant blessing. While worshippers bend down in reverence, meditating on an unseen eternity, the past is equally cherished.
The reflected celebration of the past is vibrantly displayed through gold and carved stone of the various temples that litter the busy city, but also in remembrance of such myths like the of the fate of an incredibly handsome monk by the name of Sangkachai, who could not reciprocate the love of a boy who was infatuated with him; the monk, feeling heavily guilty, prayed desperately that he could diminish in physical allure, upon discovering the disastrous effect of infatuation and good looks.
His prayers were answered; Sangkachai turned obese and remained so for the rest of his life.
The plump-figured Buddha statue featured within part of the precinct of Wat Chedi Luang is an emblem of this sad story. Statues that surround the temple Wat Chedi Luang, exemplify how ancient myth and history are immortalized in stone and statue. Wat Chedi Luang portrays the thirst for divine intervention.
The chedi houses the statue of Buddha, its towering structure, which elevates the figure of the Buddha to a height that is beyond physical accessibility, though not dampening the incessant desire of devotees towards worship. Wires that traverse the distance from ground level to the height of the chedi allow the devotees to deliver offerings via the mere action of a pulley. After the meticulous folding and arrangement of lotus leaves, flowers, fruit and incense sticks within a basket, the offering is deftly delivered towards heaven, while incurring postal charges that would constitute donations.
According to a 25-year-old monk, Phasomchai, the towering Chedi was also once utilized as a shelter for the monks during times of war or conflict. Elephants were stationed outside the tower to guard its safety- hence the presence of statues of elephant heads is evident, as they surround the chedi
The temple of Wat Phra Singh similarly houses intricate gold carvings, featuring the Phra Singh Buddha image, whereby the word Phra refers to Buddha images. The meaning of the word Phra is reified when several golden Buddha figures sit behind the altar within the main prayer hall of the temple; pilgrims of the temple offer gifts at the altar in the form of a combination of banana fruit and flowers, also known as Kakrong Sedokok. Offerings are accompanied by slips of papers containing the pilgrims’ names, date of birth and other relevant details. The devotees place their offerings at the altar with hopes of good luck. Wat Phra Singh displays an embalmed deceased monk, a prominent leader whose name was Kruba Sriwichai.
Rich in carving and statues, ghosts of the past linger, embodied in stone, gold and embalming fluid. Devotees at Wat Phra Singh sit before the embalmed monk figure, praying for blessing. Other devotees are seen kneeling before monks who sit cross legged, sprinkling water over shoulders of devotees as a gesture of blessing. While the embalmed figure sits as if in pensive thought, his eyes fixated in a faraway gaze, believers mimic his stance, placing hopes for certainty in a distant future as they appeal for miracles.
For the monks, religion is a paramount force. For lucid-minded 67-year-old Phrakruwittan, monkhood has dominated his life for 50 years. He explained that he chose this path because he wanted to learn more about Buddhism. On the other hand, the shy and soft spoken 25-year-old Phasomchai explained that he had dedicated his life to meditative solitude since the tender age of 12.
Evidently then, there is no doubt that religion permeates the lives of people in Chiang Mai.
As the prayers of people rise upwards like the burnt incense that drift towards heaven, the people of Chiang Mai seem to yearn for a better tomorrow, for the possibility of miracles and abundant blessing. While worshippers bend down in reverence, meditating on an unseen eternity, the past is equally cherished.
The reflected celebration of the past is vibrantly displayed through gold and carved stone of the various temples that litter the busy city, but also in remembrance of such myths like the of the fate of an incredibly handsome monk by the name of Sangkachai, who could not reciprocate the love of a boy who was infatuated with him; the monk, feeling heavily guilty, prayed desperately that he could diminish in physical allure, upon discovering the disastrous effect of infatuation and good looks.
His prayers were answered; Sangkachai turned obese and remained so for the rest of his life.
The plump-figured Buddha statue featured within part of the precinct of Wat Chedi Luang is an emblem of this sad story. Statues that surround the temple Wat Chedi Luang, exemplify how ancient myth and history are immortalized in stone and statue. Wat Chedi Luang portrays the thirst for divine intervention.
In front of Wat Chedi Luang
The chedi houses the statue of Buddha, its towering structure, which elevates the figure of the Buddha to a height that is beyond physical accessibility, though not dampening the incessant desire of devotees towards worship. Wires that traverse the distance from ground level to the height of the chedi allow the devotees to deliver offerings via the mere action of a pulley. After the meticulous folding and arrangement of lotus leaves, flowers, fruit and incense sticks within a basket, the offering is deftly delivered towards heaven, while incurring postal charges that would constitute donations.
According to a 25-year-old monk, Phasomchai, the towering Chedi was also once utilized as a shelter for the monks during times of war or conflict. Elephants were stationed outside the tower to guard its safety- hence the presence of statues of elephant heads is evident, as they surround the chedi
The temple of Wat Phra Singh similarly houses intricate gold carvings, featuring the Phra Singh Buddha image, whereby the word Phra refers to Buddha images. The meaning of the word Phra is reified when several golden Buddha figures sit behind the altar within the main prayer hall of the temple; pilgrims of the temple offer gifts at the altar in the form of a combination of banana fruit and flowers, also known as Kakrong Sedokok. Offerings are accompanied by slips of papers containing the pilgrims’ names, date of birth and other relevant details. The devotees place their offerings at the altar with hopes of good luck. Wat Phra Singh displays an embalmed deceased monk, a prominent leader whose name was Kruba Sriwichai.
Chief Abbot Kruba Sriwichai
Rich in carving and statues, ghosts of the past linger, embodied in stone, gold and embalming fluid. Devotees at Wat Phra Singh sit before the embalmed monk figure, praying for blessing. Other devotees are seen kneeling before monks who sit cross legged, sprinkling water over shoulders of devotees as a gesture of blessing. While the embalmed figure sits as if in pensive thought, his eyes fixated in a faraway gaze, believers mimic his stance, placing hopes for certainty in a distant future as they appeal for miracles.
For the monks, religion is a paramount force. For lucid-minded 67-year-old Phrakruwittan, monkhood has dominated his life for 50 years. He explained that he chose this path because he wanted to learn more about Buddhism. On the other hand, the shy and soft spoken 25-year-old Phasomchai explained that he had dedicated his life to meditative solitude since the tender age of 12.
Sai Sin: protective strings for blessings
Evidently then, there is no doubt that religion permeates the lives of people in Chiang Mai.
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