Religious Holy Places Part1

1.Wat Phra Sri Ratana Sasadaram(Wat Phra Kaew)

King Rama I,Phra Bat Somdej Phra Phuttha Yod Fa Chula Lok Maha Raja, founder of the Chakri Dynasty, had built the grand palace in 1782 at the same time as Bangkok(Ratakasin) and as the capital of Thailand. When King Rama I succeeded the throne.The construction work took place for three years, and Royal chapel,Wat Phra Sri Ratana Sasadaram is located within beside the Royal residences.

Wat Phra Sri Ratana Sasadaram, generally called the temple of the emerald Buddha, is a temple particularly built to house a Buddha image,Chaophraya Chakri who became king Rama I brought the Buddha image from Vientiane when he captured the city.

He built the temple and enshrined the Emerald Buddha there.The Emerald Buddha temple does not house any monks. It can be concluded that the temple of the Emerald Buddha,the most sacred of Thailand.

Plan of Wat Phra Sri Ratana Sasadaram

1. A Patron Rup Rushi

A Patron is hermit doctor statue of the father of Thai herbal medicine. The Patron regarded as protecting a particular person or place is the patron saint of travelers. The figure is a seated hermit patron of Thai Medicine. The patron is behind the Buddha. It was made in the time of King Rama III.

2. Cloisters with Mural Paintings (Phra Rabiang)

Cloisters can be compared to the temple walls. These Paintings were the first done in the reign of the King Rama I. The Mural Paintings consist of the Ramakien epic in each section. Here is a very brief statement of the story. The Enclosure gallery with mural painting surrounding the Phra Ubosoth shows the Ramakien story.

The Ramakien is very popular in Thailand and other Southeast Asian Nations. Thai arts are filled with the Ramakien. The Word “Rama” in English language for titles of Kings in the present chakri dynasty.

3. The Guardian Giants (Gate-keeping Giants)

There are six pair of demon guardian statutes at the entrance gates to temple in the gallery. These are the main Giants of the Ramakien. They stand facing the Phra Ubosoth meaning they are guarding the Emerald Buddha inside from all evil spririts.

These demon guardians were build in the reign of King Rama III, each one describing an important character in the Ramakien story. The green one describes Tosakanth, the demon King and red one represents Sahassadeja one of Tosakanth's warriors.

4. The Golden Stupa (Phra Sri Ratana Chedi)

The golden stupa is Phra Sri Ratana Chedi, The Chedi is one worthy of veneration as if the Buddha. The King Rama IV, Phra Mongkut has built the golden Chedi and transferred the merit resulting from the construction to his parents.

The golden Stupa is a modal one of three large stupas at Phra SriSanphet temple in Ayutthaya, the former capital city of Thailand. Inside is a small Chedi. Relics of the Buddha have been enshrined in it. The Chedi has a bell shape, which is the Ceylonese style. In the reign of King Rama V, Phra Chula Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua had applied the golden tile mosaics to the stupa.