Goldens on the Road: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple

Wat (Temple) Phra That Doi Suthep is in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. The temple is often referred to as "Doi Suthep" although this is actually the name of the mountain (Sugar Elephant Mountain) where it's located. It is a sacred site to many Thai people. The temple is 9.3 miles from the city of Chiang Mai and situated at an elevation of around 3,520 feet above the city.

According to legend, a monk named Sumanathera from the Sukhothai Kingdom had a dream. In this vision he was told to go to Pang Cha and look for a relic. Sumanathera ventured to Pang Cha and found a bone. Many claim it was Gautama Buddha's shoulder bone. The relic displayed magical powers: it glowed, it was able to vanish, it could move and replicate itself. Sumanathera took the relic to King Dhammaraja, who ruled Sukhothai. The eager Dhammaraja made offerings and hosted a ceremony when Sumanathera arrived. However, the relic displayed no abnormal characteristics, and the king, doubtful of the relic's authenticity, told Sumanathera to keep it.

King Nu Naone of Lan Na heard of the relic and bade the monk to bring it to him. In 1368, with Dharmmaraja's permission, Sumanathera took the relic to what is now Lamphun, in northern Thailand. Once there, the relic broke into two pieces. The smaller piece was enshrined at Wat Suan Dok. The other piece was placed by the king on the back of a white elephant which was released into the jungle. The elephant is said to have climbed up Doi Suthep, at that time called Doi Aoy Chang (Sugar Elephant Mountain), stopped, trumpeted three times, and then dropped dead. This was interpreted as an omen. King Nu Naone immediately ordered the construction of a temple at the site.

The name of the Temple (Wat Phra That Doi Suthep) actually explains what the temple has within it. 'Phra' refers to a honorific Buddha image, and 'That' refers to a relic. Combining the two tells that there is a relic of Buddha's in the sanctity of the Wat, and in this case it's half of Buddha's shoulder bone. The location of the shoulder bone relic is to be found in the rounded portion of the Chedi right above the octagonal section and below the ringed section. ^{[Wikipedia and our tour guide]}

The great 250 step staircase with the mythical Naga (dragon headed serpent) is the main entrance and exit of the Temple. It is easier coming down than it was going up!!

Once inside the temple grounds visitors must be appropriately dressed and must remove footwear. The original gold plated chedi is the most holy area of the temple grounds. Within the site are pagodas, statues, bells, a museum, and shrines. Aspects of the wat draw from both Buddhism and Hinduism. There is a model of the Emerald Buddha and a statue of the Hindu God Ganesh. The murals which are painted on the walls around the Temple depict the life of the Buddha and the story of the White Elephant. Enough reading! Enjoy your walk through this gorgeous Temple.