A photo ramble to Thailand's ancient capital of Ayutthaya

Reclining Buddha at Wat (Temple) Yai Chai Mongkol. The enormous statue is covered with several gold cloths. Each day, one is removed and tied near the feet. I do not know how many there are, or if this a regular activity.

Ayutthaya (official name "Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya"), a former kingdom and capital of Siam in what is now Thailand and designated world heritage site, is a treasure of an ancient city that has been carefully preserved as the modern city grew around it. Temple stupas and walls dot the city both inside and outside of the "old city," an island that is delineated by rivers that surround it. Ayutthaya was founded in 1350, the second capital of Siam. By 1700, it was the largest city in the world, and the trading center of Asia.

I have been to Ayutthaya many times, and each time I discover something new, even in places I have toured before.

Recently, I traveled with fellow photographer and Bangkok Photo Rambler Jeremiah Boulware north of Bangkok (about a 45 minute drive) and wandered the area of Ayutthaya south of the Chao Praya River. Although we usually have one or two sites in mind, we never have a set itinerary, but let the sights and back streets guide us.

Following are photos of our half day ramble. It is always my intent to publish scenes that one is not likely to find on a post card, but that tell stories of the place and the people who live and visit there. I hope you enjoy the tour.

All photos © by the author unless otherwise noted. It is illegal to use any photo for any purpose without permission. If you are interested in using any of the images, please contact me at jsscience@yahoo.com.



WAT YAICHAI MONGKOL

The base of a large stupa ("chedi") at Wat Yai Chai Mongkol.
The temple was built in 1357

The buildings of Wat Yai Chai Mongkol are well preserved and the grounds neatly kept. The temple originally housed monks who studied in Ceylon during the 14th century. Many people still come to study meditation from monks of the sect, who live on the temple grounds.

View of one of the many Buddha statues on the grounds.

View of the central stupa of Wat Yai Chai Mongkol.

Scores of Buddha statues face and surround the central chedi. It is a very popular destination for Thai Buddhists and foreign tours. Here a devotee pays his respects.

From the walkway that circles the chedi about halfway up, I noticed Jeremiah photographing one of the temple's cats.

Jeremiah captures a scene from the chedi.

A garland of marigolds and jasmine laid on a ledge of the central chedi.

Reclining Buddha, partially seen through breaks in the wall.

Lotus blossoms may be had for a donation, and laid anywhere at the temple. Many people will place them or other flowers in front of Buddha statues, others place them at random sites on the grounds. The person in the white robe is a volunteer who stays at the temple to learn meditation, or to simply find a peaceful place to learn about the sect's teachings.

Many Thai people, and some foreigners, dress in traditional Thai clothing when visiting important temples. Here some teens document their visit.

This wooden building on the temple grounds has intricately carved panels and doors.

For a small donation, people receive a gold colored sash to put around one of the Buddha statues. 

It is interesting how "tuk tuks" vary from locale to locale. I have not seen any alike from different cities. This is the "Ayutthaya design."

CHINESE TEMPLE

We attempted to find some of the old European settlements in the area, but instead came across a riverside Chinese temple.

A reflection inside the temple.

A well used candelabra and urn for placing devotion candles and incense sticks.

Jeremiah's reflection captured in a small glass display case with a sculpted likeness of a respected monk. Often they are life-size. 

BETWEEN WATS...

A wrong turn took us to a U-turn and a serendipitous scene of a family bringing in their fish nets on a small artificial lake.

WAT PHUTTHAISAWAN

At our next stop, Wat Phutthaisawan, a family was gathered to pay respects to a deceased family member. A monk was presiding over the ceremony, while another recorded the event on his phone.

This jolly concrete laughing monk doll sits on the ledge of a small stupa. Several others of varying sizes with the same happy face had been placed around the stupa.

Tiny dancing figures adorn one of the stupa ledges.

This room may seem familiar to some: it was where scenes from the movie "Mortal Combat" were filmed. Here Jeremiah focuses on details of a figure.

This scene was so engaging that I stood right in the line of the photographers as I took my own shots! One does not often see monks photographing other people, particularly women. As we observed them, it was apparent that they were involved in some kind of photo shoot. Still, it was very unusual.

A reclining Buddha as seen through the window of one of the ruins.

Another scene from the photo shoot.

An entryway to the main temple

Detail of the central chedi (stupa, or prang), which is in Khmer style.

Two visitors take photos of each other outside of the main temple.

A young boy awaits his family among the Buddhas in one of the building ruins.

On either side of the main chedi (stupa) are two rooms housing very large Buddhas. 

On the ceiling are hundreds of bats.

ST JOSEPH CHURCH

Another famous worship site in Ayutthaya is the Catholic church of St. Joseph, founded by French missionaries in the 17th Century. The current building was built in 1888 on the site  of the previous building, which was destroyed in the 1800s.

A depiction of the last supper is ubiquitous in churches but this is the first one I have seen in which the disciples are seated around the table instead of on one side. This is a beautiful ceramic relief.

ALONG THE WAY...

On our way to a coffee shop at the end of a very hot morning, we passed this body shop where work was being done on a tuk tuk.

This lovely family had a stall at a small flea market just inside of the old city.

Hot and tired, we stopped into a nice coffee shop run by my friend Nicki, a businesswoman whom I tutored in English last year. She returned to Ayutthaya and opened "Ma Journey Coffee & Ice Cream," which is conveniently located near the market and train station. I recommend the iced honey lemon drink! So refreshing and delicious! Photo by Jeremiah Boulware.

Our last stop in Ayutthaya was a restaurant where we watched boats and barges move up and down the river. There are many riverside restaurants in Ayutthaya, a great way to wind up a trip before heading back to Bangkok! Besides driving, one may travel to Ayutthaya by boat or train.

There are just too many sights to see in Ayutthaya in one day. I have been coming to Ayutthaya about once a year for the past ten years and haven't visited all of the fabulous ruins yet. But that's a good thing: I enjoy every visit. I recommend a trip to this historic city if you visit Bangkok, even if for only a day. It will be a memorable part of your trip to Thailand.

To view an album of our Ayutthaya photo ramble, including beautiful photos by Jeremiah, go to Bangkok Photo Rambles on Facebook: @photoramblers

Thailand's Makha Bucha Day

Jasmine and bougainvillea blossoms with coins sit as centerpieces on a table near an altar at Wat Sri Bun Reuang in Bangkok

One of the most important holidays in Thailand (as well as in neighboring Buddhist countries) is Makha Bucha ("Honor Buddha"), a day and evening of ceremonies at temples where devotees pray, give alms in the forms of monetary offerings to the temple projects or gifts to monks, and pay respects to Buddha through acts of devotion, such as placing gold leaf on statues and laying flowers on shrines. It is also a day when numerous lottery sales are made! This day was especially auspicious this year as the lottery drawing will be the next afternoon. Many lottery ticket salespeople were on hand throughout the day at the temple.

A colorful neon revolving wheel is set up the evening before Makha Bucha day.

Makha Bucha falls on the first full moon of the third lunar month, which was March 1st this year. I visited one of my favorite temples in Bangkok, Wat Sri Bun Reuang, located in Bangkapi district on the Klong (canal) Saen Saeb. This small temple has unique events, often with touches of humor (the temple monks are very friendly and the displays are often playful), so I wanted to be there for this important day. The previous evening, as I returned from downtown on the canal taxi, I noticed the preparations being made for the holiday. I asked a senior monk what time the ceremony would begin, and he told me it would be in early afternoon. I returned the next day to find the ceremony already in progress.

All photos are copyright © by the author. It is illegal to use any of the images without permission. For information about use, please email me at jsscience@yahoo.com.

Devotees sit for hours under a canopy listening to teachings and observing monk rituals. The cotton strings are attached to an overhead grid that the monks made the day before. Symbolically, the thread connects all attendees to each other, and to the temple, eventually leading to the large Buddha statue inside. Notice that no one's feet are pointed forward, which would be in the direction of the monks. This practice places the "lowest" part of the body away from the monks (and also away from any Buddha statue present if in a temple) as a sign of respect.

Prayer flags are also attached to each of the strings that touch the attendees.

A senior monk places an offering on the altar that was used for the day's ceremony. Silver alms plates (actually decorated tin) with other offerings are displayed on the table. Each has been carefully decorated with marigolds and strings of jasmine blossoms and roses.

Senior monks leave the covered assembly area to prepare for the upcoming ceremony.

Not all devotees spent the time under the canopy listening to lessons. Many people went to various places on the temple grounds to pay respects in a number of ways. Here a woman prays while holding incense sticks with a monetary note wedged between wooden sticks that will be placed on the specially made columns in front of her.

Visitors press gold leaf onto a series of spheres and a Buddha statue as a sign of devotion and respect. The gold leaf is usually bundled with a candle and three incense sticks that are available for a small donation to the temple.

Wat Sri monks often use mannequins as displays, and there is usually a skeleton dressed and in various forms of prayer. I did not see it this time: perhaps it was too playful for this more somber celebration.

I saw this "monk carousel" (click video play below) the first time I visited Wat Sri many years ago, and it is brought out only on special occasions. Devotees drop coins into the alms bowls as they revolve by. I have seen only one other such carousel in Thailand, but I am sure there must be more.

Monks stroll by palm readers and food stalls on the temple grounds.

This senior monk displays traditional temple tattoos, which are done by specially trained monks using only a spike dipped in ink and wooden hammer. This style has become popular among westerners ever since Angelina Jolie got one in Cambodia. However, it is meaningful only to monks who have been educated in Buddhism and can read the ancient script.

Monks circle the table of offerings, placing incense sticks in many of the foods, while the temple's highest ranking monk, or "ajaan", recites prayers and blessings.

This unusually dressed man was known to many of the monks, but I am not sure of his particular status or reason for the atypical attire. He did not participate in the ceremony. This is just one more reason I like to go to Wat Sri: there is always something or someone new and interesting to see.

A monk melts candle wax in order to affix the candle on a special tray as part of the prayer ceremony.

Close up of the decorations on the altar.

Musicians playing traditional instruments added musical interludes of traditional music.

Monks sit under parasols held by attendants during the ceremony.

One of the more intriguing offerings was this plate, with cigarettes and rolled leaves of "maag", the Thai betel nut plant, which many Thais smoke. I thought it odd, but apparently it is an old tradition.

Garlands and gold leaf placed on a Buddha statue outside of the temple door.

Inside the temple was a tray of vessels filled with holy water. Devotees can ask a monk for blessings while pouring the water into a cup. After the brief ceremony, the water is poured on either a special plant or tree outside, or on one of the figures on the temple, such as a dragon, god or goddess (from Hindu legends).

This is a detail of the meticulously hand painted wooden doors of the temple, which is typical throughout the kingdom. This portrays "Hanuman", a monkey god of Indian legend, who played a part in the epic poem Ramayana. Thai Buddhism has adopted many Hindu legends and gods, as India is where Buddha lived (as a Hindu).

Every once in a while I am extremely fortunate to come across beautiful practices unexpectedly. I had nearly decided to go home (it was very hot), but took a few minutes to go inside the small temple, where I was one of only three visitors. As I was about to leave, a stream of young monks entered and took their places in long rows, filling the temple floor. I asked one how many there were, and he answered "95". Ninety-five monks in a temple! I had only a few minutes to take photos and record one of their chants before the doors were closed.

A view of the gathering. Seated cross-legged before the prayers, they will change position as shown in the next image.

During prayers or ceremonies in the temple, monks (particularly young monks) sit with their weight on knees and toes. Elder monks usually sit cross legged or sit on chairs.

                 The haunting sound of 95 chanting monks. Click on the video below:

Thai (Theravada) Buddhism is traditional, ceremonial and disciplined. 95% of Thais consider themselves Buddhist, but not all are strict adherents, and almost everyone respects whatever level of practice others have adopted (Thai Buddhism has incorporated some traditional animist beliefs, as well as Hindu and Chinese Buddhist practices). Although monks are revered and follow strict interpretation of the teachings, I have found them to be generally friendly and they welcome respectful interactions with the general population including foreigners, especially those who speak Thai and practice respectful posture. It is a wonderful experience to observe a traditional Buddhist holiday celebration: it has helped me learn more about Buddhism, as well as Thai culture.