Ayutthaya : Ayodhya of Thailand

Hello all,
This Monday, the entire country was celebrating, from Leh to Rameshwaram and from Bhuj to Shillong. All the people were drenched in one shade. Orange. The atmosphere was more divine than Diwali. It was like India was celebrating Diwali after 500 years! And while we are still humming Ram Dhun, I realized that I have a story to tell! It has been sitting on my notepad since Diwali. And what better time to post it than this week? Yes! I am talking about Ayutthaya, also known as Ayodhya in Thailand. Do you know that in the Pratishtha (consecration) of the new Ram Mandir of Ayodhya, they also got soil from Ayutthaya along with water from the Chao Phraya river?
It is believed that the Ayutthaya kingdom is named after Ayodhya. King Ramathibodi was influenced by the epic Ramayan, which they got from Buddhist priests. Even King Phra Bat Somdet Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharat, the founder of Bangkok, also adopted the name Rama I, which signifies the influence of the epic on Thai culture. And since then, all the kings of Thailand have adopted the name Ram. The current king is Ram X.
According to some beliefs, the people of Ayutthaya, under the reign of King Jayavarman, considered Lord Ram as their ideal. Even the Ramayan was translated into Thai during this time, and it was known as Ramakien. It was not just a translation or replica of Valmiki Ramayan; it had a few new chapters and new episodes. Even some influence of Ramayan is seen in the murals on the walls of the temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
Ayutthaya has a predominantly Buddhist culture, but there are few telltale signs of Hinduism, which can suggest historical links between the two countries. This is the perfect example of how culture, religion, and epics can connect different places and people.While we were in Bangkok, we wanted to visit one of the most iconic places and the historical town of Ayutthaya. The kids were not that excited, but they had their share of fun on the previous day in Bangkok Safari Park. But once we went there, they were also amazed to see the ramshackle town and the way it is restored at places. If you are planning a day trip, you should read this. Many people stay there for a day or two, but as we had limited time and we were with kids, we only went there on a day trip.
Ayutthaya was the second capital city of the Siamese Kingdom and was founded in 1350. It was built around three rivers on an island for a strategic position to prevent attacks from other countries. It was in its full glory from the 14th to 18th centuries. But was attacked and burnt down by Burmese in 1767. And now it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The area is now known as Ayutthaya Historical Park and it includes many temples, palaces as well as ruins.
Famous temples in Ayutthaya:
- Wat Yai Chaimongkhon
- Wat Phra Mahathat
- Wat Phra Si Sanphet
- Wat Chai Wattanaram
- Wat Phanan Choeng
- Wat Lokayasutharam
- Wat Ratchaburana
- Wat Na Phra Men
- Wat Thammikarat
These are a few of the main attractions, And we visited only three of them, but it was pretty amusing! Roaming in those lanes and among the temples was like soothing to one’s soul. We are old school people, so we find solemn in simplicity, and the simplicity of Ayutthaya attracted us the most.
Bangkok is fascinating, but Ayutthaya is pacifying!
Bangkok is fast like lightening while Ayutthaya is slow, gentle dawn skylight
Bangkok is busy with hustle and bustle, but Ayutthaya is as tranquil as a mountain breeze.
How to go to Ayutthaya?
You can go via bus, train or taxi.
The best and fastest way though is by taxi. It takes around an hour to get there.
Entrance fee:
There is no entrance fee for the Historical park. But some temples may charge 20-50 THB.
What should you wear?
There is no specific Ayutthaya temple dress code, but avoid wearing shorts, tight-fitting clothes, short skirts or dresses or clothes showing shoulders.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is also known as the Great Monastery of Auspicious Victory. It is one of the significant temples. It is still functioning and is currently managed by Buddhist monks. It is also a relatively new temple, possibly approximately 100 years old. But despite that, the temple is dilapidating.
The main attractions are a 7 m long Reclining Buddha and a 72 m tall stupa. The staircase to the stupa is also an ornament in itself.it is approximately 90 degrees steep. There are 66 steps. Once you reach the top, you will get a panoramic view of Ayutthaya city from the upper terrace.
There are many sitting Buddha idols which are decorated with yellow clothes. The symmetry of these stupas will mesmerize you. It is like a visual treat.
Timings: every day from 08.00 a.m. – 05.00 p.m.
Admission fee : 20 Baht.
Wat Chai Watthanaram
It is also known as the “Monastery of the Victorious and Prosperous Temple. This is one of the most important temples in Ayutthaya, and it is Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. It was the royal temple and was used by the king and his family.
The temple was built in 1630. It has a central 35-meter Khmer-style pagoda tower with four minor prangs, again suggesting Buddhist and Hindu ideology behind the constructions. The main entrance of the temple was near the river, as the king used to come by boat.
Wat Mahathat
The second place we visited while in Ayutthaya was the Wat Mahathat or The Temple of the Great Relic. What can I say? It is the place where you can find yourself, even though you are lost there. It is huge, and you don’t know where to start, but you might find a part of yourself in those ruins.I didn’t know whether I should just sit at a place and feel the positivity of the place or just roam and wander. This temple was close to the palace, and the king performed his main ceremonies here.
There is a large central tower and surrounding galleries, just like we see in most of the Hindu and Buddhist temples. The central prang depicts Mount Meru. Adjacent to it, there are four smaller towers in four corners, which symbolize four continents. You can also see many Buddha idols, but one thing that saddened us is that almost all the idols were headless, as if it were done to destroy the faith of people in Buddha. But many of these heads are also sold off in western countries.
But if you ask me, the most peculiar feature of the place is the head of Lord Buddha, which is intertwined with the roots of the banyan tree. It is also one of the most exhibited photographs of Ayutthaya. Just be respectful, as you are not supposed to stand in front of the idol. You should be at the same level. So take photos in a sitting position only. And yes, be prepared to stand in a long queue.
There are a few stories about this. Some believe that the head fell from one of the idols and tree roots grew around it, giving one of the most enchanting Buddha idols in the world, while others believe that it was kept there by a thief and he hid it, but later, when he came to take it, he couldn’t move the head, so he left it there, and all the roots are braided around it. Either way, it is one of the most serene places, and you won’t forget it for a long, long time!
Timings : 8:00AM to 5:00PM (Daily)
Entrance Fee: 50 Baht
Points to consider:
- If you don’t have a private taxi then you can visit different Ayutthaya temples by tuk-tuk minibus or even boat.
- It can be hot during the day, so apply proper sunscreen. We also noticed many people with umbrella.
- There are many shops outside Wat Chai Watthanaram. People were doing photo-session in traditional Thai clothes. Initially, we thought they were dressed up for a wedding, but then we came to know that we could wear conventional Thai clothes on rent from the shops; there are even shops for hairdos also. It was a fabulous site with so many people dressed in traditional clothing. After research, I found that it is mainly due to the famous Thai soap opera “Love Destiny”, which is set between 1656 and 1688, and many scenes are from Ayutthaya. So people want pictures in traditional clothing with a backdrop of Ayutthaya.
That’s it…..
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Ayodhya in thighland !
👍🏼👍🏼
awesome Historical significance highlighted !
Thank you..
Nice information
Thank you…