Friday, April 30, 2010

Thai Temples in Chiang Mai




Temple or Wat

In everyday language in Thailand, a wat is any place of worship.



Wat Lok Moli

Wat Lok Molee or Lok Moli is another treat of Chiang Mai. This is an old temple, with it's impressive chedi being built around 1527.


The entry of the Wat is protected by two colorful images of Todsagan.






It is said to house the ashes of the royal members of the Mengrai Dynasty.


I particularly liked the large hall in the front of the chedi, with it's large beautiful Buddha image.
























































Wat Gate Khar Rham





Upon discovering that inside his neighborhood temple, Wat Gate Khar Rham, stood a closed down ruinous teak building that used to be the residence of past abbots, as well as an empty adjoining concrete building at the temple’ s river street entrance.






















































With his contagious enthusiasm and drive, a small museum was started from these premises using its own collections of antiques and donated artifacts and relics.








































Items in the museum include priceless old pictures of Chiang Mai, antique drums of all sizes, northern household artifacts, old coins, ancient potteries and large collections of rare fabrics and old costumes that once belonged to Chiang Mai’s past royal families. Highly valuable items have been inventoried by the Fine Arts authorities and are locked in glass display cases. Additional display cabinets are being built with left over wooden coffin doors, donated by the Temple.


Photograph of execution, dated back to 1917






































































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