In the north-west territory of Thailand lies the city of Chiang Mai, home to one of Thailand’s lesser known Buddhist temples. The religious and historic significance of ‘Wat Photharam Maha Wihan’ also called ‘Wat Jed Yod’ rests in the fact that it played host to the eighth World Buddhist Council in 1477 where Buddhist Priests congregated to revise Buddhist Tripitaka texts.
‘Wat Jed Yod’ literally means the ‘Temple of Seven Spires’, a name derived from the temple’s main attraction which is a rectangular building supporting seven stupas that resemble the famous Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya. These seven spires are believed to represent the seven weeks that the Buddha spent in meditation after attaining enlightenment. Within its shrine hall sits a golden Buddha statue while the building’s exterior walls are decorated with seventy sculpted divine figurines in seated and standing posture. The temple’s historic buildings shows traces of Burmese and early Chinese influences infused with Indian and Lao architectural styles. Situated close to the temple,Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort will allow guests convenient access to explore these historic grounds.
The compound itself mimic Bodhgaya with the statue of Buddha under the shade of Muchalinda Naga Serpent King being among the images that mark the six locations where the Buddha spent the six weeks preceding his attainment of enlightenment. Also found in the temple are three pagodas, with the largest containing the ashes of King Tilokkarat who built the temple in 1455 while more Buddha images in different altitudes can be found to the west of the compound.
‘Wat Jed Yod’ is also one of the Thai temples dedicated to the Year of the Snake in the Lanna-Thai zodiac and is a popular pilgrim site for those born that year. Many small statues of snakes can be found cross the temple compound and images of the Naga snake can also be found in the temple complex’s more modern buildings including the modern Ordination and Assembly Hall.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
