2009 June 12 | The Train is Leaving

Majestic Wat Pho

Bangkok, thailand June 12th, 2009

Continuation from:-
Hour Past Midnight
Along Chao Phraya
The Grand Palace, Bangkok

27th February 2009
===============

Neighbors to the Grand Palace is the famous Wat Pho or better known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha where it houses both Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha image and the most number of Buddha images in Thailand.

You could easily get there by foot from the Grand Palace or by taxi or tuk-tuk but do be aware of the scams. Remember that Wat Pho is open DAILY from 8.00am to 5pm with an entrance fee of 50Baht. Don’t believe anything otherwise.

Worshippers

Upon entering the compound, we could see there are individual temple halls with Buddha statutes within it. Outside, there are small golden statues where worshipers would make their joss stick and lotus buds offerings.

Interestingly, each of them would slab on the statues a small square of thin gold leaf not unlike really tiny Post-It notes. The statues was entirely covered by the gold leaves making some sheets falling off to the ground.

Post-it statue

I learned that the action of applying gold leaf relates to the concept of making merit, which is of core concern to Thai Buddhists. I’m not a deeply religious person that i didn’t bother to pick up some joss stick less disturb the peaceful procession of praying worshipers.

But it was entertaining to watch other tourists having a good time rubbing the gold leaf on their forehead, their arms and everywhere else that suit their fancy, obviously mistaken this for a party. :S

The magnificent Reclining Buddha

The Wat Pho complex consists of two walled compounds, the northern walled compound is where the reclining Buddha is located and massage school are found. It is also one of the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images. But nothing can beat the very renown, Reclining Buddha, the largest single Buddha images.

It truly is magnificent as i stood in pure astonishment and awe admiring the forty-six metres long statue within the heavily decorated walls and high ceiling (kind of like occupying 3 or 4 hotel ballroom). Decorated with gold plating on the body and mother of pearl on the eyes and the soles of the HUGE feet which displays 108 auspicious scenes in Chinese and Indian style, the Reclining Buddha exudes a majestic aura and is so inspiring, people from all over flocked to get a glimpse of it.

That pretty much explain how long the queue was and how musky the corridor was coming from the fully occupied shoe racks - you have to take off your shoes before entering, locals and non-locals on separate shoe racks.

Huge!

Line against the wall are 108 prayer bowl. For a small donation, you get a bowl of coins that you can drop one each inside the prayer bowls as you shuffle along the queue. This act is supposed to bring luck and i guess it’s pretty therapeutic listening to the coin drop into each bowl.

That’s pretty much what’s Wat Pho is about except that i did not get my palm read or future read and did not experience the popular massage session that’s supposed to be available in the vicinity… ok i admit, i didn’t do much research before coming here hence i had no idea about the massage. But having seen the Reclining Buddha with my own eyes is already a satisfying experience.

Mother of pearl feet