Phra Nakhon Pathom

To an outsider, Nakhom Pathom looks like any other small Thai city. With a population of only around 120,000, this sleepy, unassuming town doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. However, this is a very special place. 

Nakhon Pathom is said to be the oldest settlement in Thailand, and the village in which Buddhism first spread into Siam from India by way of Burma. It's also home to the world's largest chedi (stupa containing Buddhist relics).

The original structure of Wat Phra Nakhon Pathom was built sometime in the 6th century, but was destroyed by the Burmese Bagan Kingdom in 1057. The chedi became a ruin and was covered by the jungle and nearly lost to time until King Mongkut (Rama IV) ascended the throne and ordered it rebuilt in 1860. The modern bell-shaped dome covered in orange-glazed tiles stands an imposing 127 meters tall.

I didn't know this site or the town even existed until a few days ago. I was trying to find something to do this weekend, and came across a brief mention of Nakhon Pathom as an easy day-trip from Bangkok. Sunday morning I decided I might as well check it out, and caught an 80 baht one-hour minibus ride from the Victory Monument to Nakhon Pathom Big C Supermarket. When I first stepped off the minibus at Big C, I began to realize that I had no idea how to get back to Bangkok, but I decided to worry about that later. 

At first I tried to walk to the chedi, but got completely turned around. A helpful older Thai couple stopped and asked where I was going, before pointing me back to the Big C. The only way I saw to get around in the town was on a motorbike taxi, and against my better judgement (I've seen too many motorbike crashes in Bangkok) I paid a driver 30 baht to take me to the chedi.

I thought it would be big, but I had no idea just how colossal the chedi would be. When birds flew in front of it, they just appeared to be tiny specks. The modern chedi is built on top of the ancient one, and contains the ashes of King Rama IV. It's a royal temple of the highest grade, and one of the most important places in the kingdom.

There were several sanctuaries, chapels, and shrines surrounding the giant chedi. The place was full of Thai pilgrams who had come to pray at one of their nation's holiest places. There is a white ring-shaped building surrounding the central chedi, containing dozens of different Buddha images, similar to the different poses represented at the Loha Prasat. The individual Buddhas were all gold, except for the one I thought was the most interesting. The sign in Thai calls it an Emerald Buddha, but it's really carved out of a green stone carried as ballast to Siam in ancient Chinese trading junks.

I heard a clanging sound coming from one of the chapels. I took off my shoes and entered to find a large reclining Buddha. The noise was coming from merit-makers dropping tiny copper satang coins (half and quarter-baht) into metal bowls.

It's not as big as the one at Wat Pho in Bangkok, but the Nakhon Pathom reclining Buddha is still pretty cool.

Of course, the most important part of the temple complex is the area dedicated to holding the ashes of King Mongkut himself.

King Mongkut Rama IV

I can't stress the impossible height of this structure, in contrast to how unimpressive the town of Nakhon Pathom is. And to think, it's nearly hidden from the highway behind the Big C Super-center!

Some of the Buddhas had intricately designed flower arrangements set in front of them. I'm not sure of the significance, but I'm certain it's from an act of merit-making.

The temple's main Buddha image is a Monday Buddha, depicted with his right hand raised holding back evil. The tall statue stands front and center underneath the huge chedi dome, where the devout merit-makers make offerings, light candles, and pray while monks chant and offer blessings. It's crowded and hectic and hot, and the air is thick with perfumed incense.

There was not another foreigner in sight. I'll admit, I got a few strange looks, especially from some of the younger children. The monks however didn't even give me a second glance. I'm sure I'm not the first foreigner to visit this place out of curiosity. Nakhon Pathom may not be on every tourist's hot list, but it's still a place to see.

an oil fountain for making merit

You can't go up inside the chedi (as much as I would have liked to). I couldn't even see a way inside, but I could see a monk walking way up at the top, near the saffron-wrapped spire.

You can however get a little closer to the orange-glazed dome. Stepping past two Chinese-style sentinal statues, you can leave the bustling crowds of amulet sellers, merit-makers, and Thai tourists behind, and enter the inner walls where it's quieter. 

This is as close as I was allowed to get to the chedi itself, but I walked around it on the top of a ring-shaped brick wall, looking up at the imposing stupa. There were a few other people quietly walking around the chedi on the inside; I guess to a Buddhist everything interesting was happing outside of the walls, but I found the quiet, serene atmosphere here relaxing.

It was incredibly hot and sunny, and the temple offered very little shade. As the giant tiled chedi baked in the late afternoon sun, I decided it was time to make my way back to Bangkok. I had very little trouble finding the minibus to Victory Monument. Outside of the temple complex was a small walking street lined with shops and restaurants, and a tuk-tuk driver pointed my way down the street to where the line of busses and minibuses waited. An hour and 80 baht later, I was back in Bangkok.

As I left the chedi complex, I passed the quintessential bodhi tree. Every good Buddhist monastery should have one nearby. The bodhi tree is the tree beneath which the Buddhists believe Siddhartha Gautama received enlightenment. The tree at Phra Nakhon Pathom is said to have been brought all the way from the Buddha's hometown in India to be planted at this important site.

a sacred bodhi tree - there's usually one at every Buddhist monastery