Exploring Wat Suthat
and the Giant Swing in Bangkok
Although largely overlooked by tourists Wat Suthat is possibly a more interesting alternative to some of the more touristy temples seen around Bangkok. If you are wanting to visit some of the less crowded places then the temples in this old part of the city may just be up your alley. I have no idea why so many tourists prefer to scramble over each other in a mad dash to visit the overly advertised temples when better time could be spent exploring some of the little lesser known ones. There are several superlative options in which to choose including this one here. Wat Suthat is considered Thailand's sixth most important temple and what is of immense interest too, this particular temple contains Bangkok's tallest viharm as well as being home to one of the largest surviving Sukhothai Bronze Buddhas.
Large Sukhothai Bronze Buddha
Exploring Wat Suthat Temple
Golden Buddha Figures
Building began on the temple in 1807 by Rama I and later completed by Rama III. It was specially constructed to house the 8 metre (26 foot) fourteenth century meditating Phra Sri Sakyamuni Buddha Statue. The Buddha was relocated to Bangkok from Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai by boat via the
Chao Phraya River.
The bronze Buddha sits serenely inside an immense viharn surrounded by some of the most celebrated and well preserved murals in Thailand. The walls are covered with scenes of the last 24 lives of the Buddha according to Buddhist Cosmology. Columns show scenes of weird sea monsters and foreign ships said to be that of early westerners coming to Siam as well as scenes depicting early life in Bangkok.
Golden Buddha Figures
Exploring Wat Suthat Temple
Art and Architecture
Art and architecture here show some beautiful examples the Rattanakosin style with the doors of the viharn in particular sporting some real wonders of Thai art. Carved into the doors are floral motifs and animals intertwined in jungle settings. There are various accounts as to whether Rama III actually designed and carved the doors himself because immediately after completion, he ordered the chisels to be thrown into the river so that the fine
carvings
could not ever be reproduced. The galleries that encircle the cloisters around the outside of the viharn are lined with 156 golden Buddha figures many of which are continually being re-gilded. The outdoor compound between the Buddha Gallery and the Viharn is populated by pagodas and statues shipped in rice boats from China as ballasts. The statues include bronze horses, Chinese scholars and European sailors wearing goofy hats.
Pagoda in the Outdoor Compound
Chinese Gateway Sao Ching Cha
The Giant Swing
Immediately in front of the temple is an enormous red Chinese gateway known as Sao Ching Cha. The Giant Swing was once a centerpiece of an annual ceremony honouring the Hindu god Shiva but due to the high accident rate, the ceremonies are no longer held here, the last one being abolished in 1935. A team of four men would attempt to swing in 180 degree arcs to gain enough momentum to catch a bag of gold tied to a pole about 25 metres (82 feet) in the air with their teeth. Some say the very act of swinging was symbolic to that of the rising and setting of the sun but others are quick to say that the ceremony was in fact based on yet another mystical legend. Don't you just love these bizarre legends. Thailand does seem to have there fair share of them. Anyway here is how the story goes. The Hindu God Shiva and his consort Uma were banned from swinging in their heavenly abode because doing so caused cataclysmic floods on earth. This then prompted Shiva to demand that the practice continue down on earth as a rite to ensure moderate rains and bountiful harvests. Well that may be so in Thailand
but heavy flooding today still cause violent upheavals in other parts of the world.
What on earth were they thinking.
The Giant Swing
Exploring Wat Suthat Temple
The Location
Wat Suthat is situated on Bamrung Muang Road not far from the
Loha Prasat
at Wat Ratchanada, the Democracy Monument and the Golden Mount. The grounds are open daily from 9:00 am until 9:00 pm with an entrance fee of just 20 baht. It is best to take a taxi or private car to get here as public transport is limited. Many of the streets leading up to the temple and giant swing are the best places for browsing the shops should you be interested in any religious paraphernalia. Thanon Bamrung Muang in particular is lined with shops selling everything a good Buddhist could ever need or a curious collector would ever want. That is to say from household offertory tables to temple umbrellas and big bold Buddha images. You need to be aware that when investing in any sort of Thai collectible, there are some articles and artifacts that may not be allowed to leave the country.
It would be best to discuss this with the seller before you make that purchase. Also on offer are special alms packs which are sold mainly as donations to monks. A typical pack would consist of a plastic bucket containing the daily necessities such as soap, soap powder, toothpaste, toilet rolls, candles and incense sticks. At one point in the road running alongside the temple is a small Vishnu shrine, and a short way up another street is a larger shrine dedicated to the Hindu Trinity.
Religious Paraphernalia for Sale
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