Refreshed after a long night of sleep, we headed down to the hotel’s complimentary breakfast buffet as soon as it opened. Our game plan for the morning was a 15-minute walk south to visit Wat Pathum Wanaram Rachaworawihan before the day’s festivities. From our previous research, the temple should have held nothing of real interest except that it was nearby and would give us a foretaste of what was to come for the next week.
Thai architecture has a unique aesthetic, which we discovered while wandering around the outside of our first wat (“place of worship”). But to describe this style beyond the typical touristic ohs and ahs required a new way of seeing.
FUN FACT. There is a tradition in Thailand for men of the Buddhist faith to enter the monastic life at least once in their lifetimes. They can choose to remain a monk or become one only temporarily. The goal of the practice is to cultivate a deeper devotion and understanding of the religion and, to an equal degree, prevent Buddhism from becoming irrelevant.
What struck us first were the buildings’ colors: bright white. This was in stark contrast to the solemn grays and beiges of the cathedrals in Rome and Paris we had visited the previous year. Maybe, like in other belief systems around the world, the shade denoted purity or maybe it was painted that way for more pragmatic reasons; white reflected sunlight.
The roof of the main temple spoke volumes of the significance of holy places and reminded both visitors and locals alike of the role of Buddhism in Thai culture. A depiction of the Buddha sits serenely in a state of perpetual bliss or nirvana, while around it are classical elements of Thai architecture. The multi-tiered terracotta rooftop conveyed that the building carried a level of prestige above its concrete counterparts. The horn-like finials (chofa) and rich decoration added even more emphasis to the structure’s sacredness.
No detail was left out. The gilded ornamentation around even the humble window echoed of sacred regard.
The influence of the surrounding countries was evident in the intricately carved seven-headed naga in the temple’s courtyard; Chinese in composition but Hindu in origin. The mythical creature is highly revered in Thai culture and is known as the patron spirit of water, particularly during the country’s torrential yearly monsoons.
FUN FACT. Unlike its neighbors to the West (Myanmar), East (Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia), and South (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines), Thailand was never colonized by the European powers.
