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Wat Ban Den (วัดบ้านเด่น)
Thai. Name of an 80
rai
Buddhist
temple complex in the Mae Taeng area of
Chiang Mai
province. Located on a small hill the enormous compound is easily
spotted from afar. It was reportedly originally established in 1894,
but greatly expanded under its recent abbot
Kruh Bah
Theuang Nahtsihloh (เทือง นาถสีโล), whose portraits, gilded and wax
statues are on display at several locations throughout the
temple,
and with construction still ongoing in 2023. It
is built in
the
Lan Na-style, often
mixed with influences from Burmese
iconography.
Formerly known as Wat Lee Boon Reuang (วัดหรีบุญเรือง), it is today
also referred to by the name Wat Den Sa-lih Sri Meuang Kaen (วัดเด่นสะหลีศรีเมืองแกน).
It has several
wihaan,
most of which feature elaborate balustrades of colourful
mythological creatures, such as
naga,
a
mythical serpent with the characteristics of a cobra;
makara,
a
mythical aquatic creature that symbolizes ‘water’ and ‘abundance’
and which in
northern
Thailand is
known as
mom;
nagamakara,
a
naga
sprouting from the mouth of a
makara;
nok hadsadie,
a mythical creature
with the body of a bird and the head of an
elephant;
etc. In addition,
there are plenty of other guardian animals on display throughout the
compound, especially
mythological
lions called
singh,
elephants
and
peacocks.
In the centre of the compound is a platform with life-sized replicas
of the 12 pagodas in Thailand, i.e.
eleven in the north and one in the northeast, that contain Buddha
relics of various years of the
Chinese zodiac, here
summarized in the order of the
12 Animal Signs of the
Zodiac corresponding to the 12 Earthly Branches,
i.e. 1.
Wat Phrathat Sri Chom Thong Wora
Wihaan (fig.)
in Chiang Mai, Year of the
Rat;
2.
Wat Phrathat Lampang
Luang (fig.)
in
Lampang,
Year of the
Ox; 3.
the
stupa of
Wat Phrathat Cho Hae
(fig.)
in
Phrae,
Year of the
Tiger;
4.
Wat
Phrathat
Chae Haeng (วัดพระธาตุแช่แห้ง) in
Nan,
Year of the
Rabbit;
5.
Phrathat
Chedi
Wat Phra Singh
(fig.)
in
Chiang Mai,
Year of the
Dragon;
6.
Phrathat
Wat Chedi Jed Yod
(fig.)
in
Chiang Mai,
Year of the
Snake;
7. the
stupa of
Wat Phra Borommathat (วัดพระบรมธาตุ) in
Tak,
Year of the
Horse;
8.
Wat Doi Suthep
(fig.)
in
Chiang Mai,
Year of
the
Goat;
9.
Wat Phrathat Phanom (fig.)
in
Nakhon Phanom,
Year of
the
Monkey;
10.
Wat Phrathat
Haripunchai
(fig.)
in
Lamphun,
Year of
the
Cock;
11. the
stupa of
Wat Ket Karam
(fig.)
in
Chiang Mai,
Year of the
Dog;
and 12.
Wat Phrathat Doi Tung
(fig.)
in
Chiang Rai,
Year of the
Pig.
On the northern side of the same
platform is a large hall with a huge
reclining Buddha
in Burmese style.
Located in Inthakhin
subdistrict of Mae Taeng, the temple also has its own
lak meuang,
known locally as
sao inthakhin (fig.),
and housed in the Wihaan
Sao Inthakhin (วิหารเสาอินทขิล).
See also EXPLORER'S MAP,
TRAVEL PICTURES (1),
(2) and
(3), and
WATCH VIDEO.
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