Loha Prasat

HM King Rama III

This Sunday I returned to one of the first places that I visited when I moved to Bangkok last year. The first time I came to Wat Rachanadda the Loha Prasat, or "metal castle," was closed for renovations. My first visit was uneventful, although I wrote a post about it. What I called the "Black Temple" is really the Loha Prasat, a structure of five concentric square levels, the first, third, and fifth adorned in thirty-seven black iron spires. Each of these spires represents one of thirty-seven virtues taught by the Buddha. It's the only remaining of its kind in the world. Just like going to Wat Saket, I had to take the smelly khlong boat. I actually enjoy it, though. I've been the only foreigner almost every time I've taken it.

The Loha Prasat appears on the back of the five-hundred baht note, so it's a significant landmark in Bangkok, but one that seems to often be forgotten. It's near the Golden Mount, not far from the Democracy Monument and Khao San Road. My guidebook mentioned that there were plenty of locals willing to act as a guide. The book even recommended talking to one of them, since this strange-looking "metal castle" is full of symbolism. Since I'm not Thai or Buddhist, and since I was by myself, I thought that maybe hiring a guide was a good idea. It wasn't hard to find one. A man was relaxing in the shade as I approached the complex.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"USA."

"Ah, you know Boston? Our king was born there!"

The man took me first into the main sanctuary hall. There was one woman praying alone, and my guide quietly explained the meaning behind the beautifully decorated blue room. The room was decorated with images of heaven, where colorful gilded angels hovered over fluffy clouds. There were also images of Chinese figures guarding the windows and doors, and beside the portrait of HM the King, there were several clocks at the alter. My guide told me that to the Chinese, time is money. 

"Why so much Chinese?" he asked rhetorically. "Because the Third King loved Chinese art, and the Chinese paid a lot of money for this temple!" he proudly told me.

inside the main sanctuary hall

There have been three Loha Prasats in history. The first is said to have been built in India during Buddha's lifetime. There are ruins of what some believe to be this original semi-legendary structure, although no real solid evidence of it has been found.

The second was built in Sri Lanka around 156 BC. This temple was destroyed by Muslim forces several hundred years ago, and now only the ruins remain.

This third Loha Prasat was ordered to be build in 1846 by HM King Rama III, and its home is Wat Rachanadda in Bangkok. 

As you work your way up the different levels in the building, you pass the thirty-seven Buddha statues, each one unique. Some are standing, some sitting, a few rest under the seven-headed naga snake. Some are Thai, some Khmer, some in the style of other temples Phitsonulok or Sukothai, or even of Angkor Wat (which although pre-Buddhist later gave its influence to a lot of Buddhist art). Each statue is set in a nook underneath one of the black spires, and each represents a different virtue from a different sermon or lesson taught by Buddha.

some of the thirty-seven Buddha images

There weren't many people at the temple that day. I saw a few tourists taking pictures, and some Thai people sitting to meditate or read books. One level of the temple was a library level, and there were short bookshelves next to the statues and couches for people to sit on and read about Buddhism.

black spires of Loha Prasat

This temple isn't as tall as Wat Saket, but from the top you could still get a decent view across the city. Closer to the top, we could see the tops of the lower spires. My guide showed me how the triangular shapes represented Garuda's fight with a giant snake. He also told me about the Hindu gods Bhrama, Vishnu (Rama), and Shiva, the creator, protector, and destroyer respectively. The Chakri kings of Thailand are given the title "Rama" because some people believe them to be re-incarnations of Vishnu, and the protectors of Thailand.

the main sanctuary hall

I hadn't thought much about this place after my first visit last year, but since returning to Bangkok last month, I've been thinking about going to see it again. This time, I learned why it had been closed before. The iconic "Black Temple" won't be black for much longer. They're in the process of redesigning the spires to be golden. The top has already been gilded, and thats what they were working on last year. Artist's renderings showed what the temple is supposed to look like all in gold. It really changes the feel of the place and made it feel much lighter and brighter.

I don't know what the reasoning is, although I'm sure there must be one. The black spires make for an iconic image. I'm sure it'll look impressive all in gold, but I know it won't have the same quiet, subdued, almost somber and monastic feel that it has now.

Maybe they want this temple to gain the recognition that its shinier and better-know neighbor Wat Saket has. Don't get me wrong, the Golden Mount (visible from the top of the Loha Prasat) is one of my favorite sites I've been to see in Bangkok, but it's got a different atmosphere from this place.

the Golden Mount

When we descended from the top, I paid my guide B100, and he bought both of us electrolyte drinks since it was really hot and sunny. He told me that he was the "Thai Rambo" and very strong. This guy was quite a character, and I had to take a picture with him.

my guide, "Thai Rambo"

He pointed me towards the "Buddha Market" in the shadow of the temple, where vendors sell amulets, prayer beads, and other religious paraphernalia, and I spent a few minutes wandering amongst the crowded stalls, not really knowing what anything was.

Rambo called this the "Buddha Market", but it's really the famous "Amulet Market," which I'm told one of the most reputable places to buy authentic Thai amulets, although you can find almost anything of religious significance there.

It was bright, sunny, and hot when I left the temple, but by the time I had taken the khlong boat back to Siam Square, the sky was getting dark. I got back to my apartment as the first heavy drops of rain were beginning to fall. As I got closer to my apartment, the sky filled with even darker clouds, and the wind picked up. Luckily I got inside just in time before a massive monsoon storm hit, really the first big one of the season. It looks like it's that time of year again! In fact, we're nearing Vassa Day, the start of "Buddhist Lent," when monks return to their home monastery for the rainy season.