Photo Gallery
Wat Mahawan (unknown age)
Legends hold that Wat Mahawan was founded in the year 657 by Queen Chamathewi, who brought a Buddha image from Lawo (Lopburi) to be enshinred here. The local population dubbed the image Phra Rod Luang or Phra Rod Lamphun, and used it as a model for creating votive tablets called 'Phra Rod Mahawan'. The temple is likely much newer than the legends claim, and its chief building of interest is the ho trai, which was constructed in the 1940s.
Bibliography:
Image credits: All images copyright 2008 Timothy M. Ciccone. Photographed late March, 2008.
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River Books, 2001. Thailand
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White Lotus Co., 1992. Bangkok
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Oxford University Press, 1990. Kuala Lumpur
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Thames and Hudson, 2005. Singapore
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