SUKHOTHAI : General Information
Found in the 13th century, Sukhothai (literally means Dawn of Happiness) was the first truly independent Thai Kingdom, which enjoyed a golden age under King Ramkhamhaeng, credited with creating the Thai alphabet. The superb temples and monuments of this great city have been lovingly restored in Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see for all travellers.
At 5:45 a.m. I was waiting outside my apartment building for a university van to arrive. A couple of barefoot monks made there way down Suthep Road in the morning darkness. The security guard from my building spotted me and came over to spark up a conversation. I told him I was going a Fieldtrip with other students from my program at Chiang Mai University. We were on our way to Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Trat, Chanthaburi, Korat, Phimai, and Lopburi. This six day journey would lead us through 4 of the 5 regions in Thailand. We would see mangroves and ruins; markets and temples; elephants and monkeys. He wished me well and my travels, and I quickly ran into 7-11 to get a juicebox.By 6:00 a.m. the van had arrived and I climbed into the back row. Before long I was joined by the rest of my travel
Sukhothai (literally means Dawn of Happiness) was Founded in the 13th century, the first truly independent Thai Kingdom, which enjoyed a golden age under King Ramkhamhaeng, credited with creating the Thai alphabet. The superb temples and monuments of this great city have been lovingly restored in Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site [...]
I’m currently in Thailand now, looking up some research for my thesis and with any luck I’ll be the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ayutthaya today. On that related note, the other ancient...
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The Buddha image of Wat Si Chum ( Phra Achana )[ photo credit to : traveleradvisor ]Wat Si ChumThis lies about 1,500 meters north of Wat Mahathat and was originally surrounded by a moat. A square mondop is the main sanctuary and contains a monumental stucco-over-brick Buddha image in the attitude Subduing Mara, called "Phra Achana". This Buddha measures 11.30 meters from knee to knee.The mondop is 32 meters square and 15 meters high, and the walls are 3 meters thick. There is a passageway in the left inner wall itself which leads to the above crossbeam. On the ceiling of the passageway are more than fifty engraved slate slabs illustrating Jataka scenes.At Wat Si Chum there is a mondop that houses a large stucco image of the Buddha in the Marnvichai position, as described in the first sto
The program of Loi Krathong with Candles and fireworks Festival The great lantern festival tradition since Sukhothai age according to the evidence appeared on the first inscription of Phor Khun Ramkhamhaeng which mentions about the most wonderful candles and fireworks festival of Sukhothai since 700 years ago which has been developed as Loi Krathong festival in present. Exciting with light & sound show to reproduce Sukhothai atmosphere for enjoyment of both Thais and foreigners. Date: 22 - 24 November 2007 Venue: Sukhothai Historical Park, Tambon Mueang Kao, Mueang District, Sukhothai Highlights: You will be dazzled by the float procession of large krathong from 17 Northern provinces. The procession will consist of krathongs from government agencies, state enterprises, private sectors, and general public, including hanging lanterns, Krathong design contest, and Miss Noppamas Beauty Contest, light and sound presentation, firework displays, Sukhothai arts
November 21 - 25, 2007: At the Sukhothai Historical Park and Sukhothai Central Hall, Sukhothai ProvinceAs the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (usually in mid-November) lights up the night sky, throughout the Thai kingdom, hundreds of thousands of ornately-decorated krathong or traditional banana leaf floats are set adrift in rivers and waterways in a spell-binding ritual called Loi Krathong - the 'festival of lights'. This is one of the Kingdom's oldest and best-preserved traditions.The Loi Krathong tradition we know of today has evolved from the royal rituals of the early Rattanakosin period in which several types of lanterns were set afloat in the Chao Phraya River and its waterways. The practice was subsequently adopted and adapted by common folk.Krathong floats are made from basic materials easily found around the village and reflect the simplicity of life beyond the palace walls. They typically take the shape of lotus in full bloom, swans, chedis (stupas), and Mount Meru f
Wat Phra Pai Luang is a large monastery about a kilometer north of the city walls. It is surrounded by a moat. It originally consisted of three laterite and stucco Prang, which were probably founded in the late 12th century when Sukhothai was part of the Khmer Empire. Wat Phra Pai Luang may have been the center of the original city, if Wat Mahathat and the present city walls date only from the 13th century. A fragmentary Jayabuddhamahanatha, one of the images founded by the Cambodian King Jayavarman VII in 1191, was found in the Wihan and is now displayed on the terrace of the museum. Of the three Prang, only the northern one stands intact. The stucco décor on its northern pediment appears original, while the western pediment was re – stuccoed in about the second half of the 13th century, and on the southern face there are traces of still later repairs. During the restorations of 1965 – 66, a large stucco sitting Buddha in the central Prang collapsed, disclosing numerous smaller
King Si Inthrathit and King Ramkhamhaeng were both warrior kings and extended their territories far and wide. Their successors, however, could not maintain such a far-flung empire. Some of these later kings were more remarkable for their religious piety and extensive building activities than for their warlike exploits. An example of this type of Buddhist ruler was King Mahathammaracha Lithai, believed to have been the compiler of the Tribhumikatha, an early Thai book on the Buddhist universe or cosmos. The political decline of Sukhothai was, however, not wholly owing to deficiencies in leadership. Rather it resulted from the emergence of strong Thai states further sou
Wat Si Sawai is situated 350 metres from the south of Wat Mahathat. Its three prangs (imitated Hindu Shikhara Vimanas) are regarded as ancient edifice of considerable significance. Demarcated by a wall, the three prangs were built in Lop Buri art style. Their slender forms on low bases are decorated with stucco, some designs are similar to those on Chinese ware of Yuan dynasty. Found in situ, a carved lintel depicting the reclining Vishnu on Ananta Naga(Anantasayana), fragments of Hindu god images and linga, all point out that this temple was originally a Hindu sanctuary and was later transformed into a Buddhist temple with some expansion of the frontal part in form of a vihara.source: http://www.su.ac.th/sukhothai/Technorati tags : Wat Si Sawai /Sukhothai /thai temple /Thailand/thai temple
Situated in the heart of the town,Wat Mahathat was built in accordance with Indian ancient concept of Mandala. This significant temple comprises the main chedi (stupa), a vihara (assembly hall of worship) and mandapas (a square form building with a palatial spired roof for housing an Image of Buddha), an uposatha (the ordination hall) and 200 subordinate chedis. Surrounded by 8 chedis, the main one in the centre has a graceful shape of lotus bud characterizing the art of Sukhothai. Among the 8 chedis forming 4 sides of the main stupa, the four ones at the corners belong to the Hariphunchai - Lanna art style while the other four lying in between each have a prasada - shaped body topped with a spire in Sukhothai style and decorated with stuccoed reliefs under the influence of
