Recommended temples to visit in Ayutthaya: Wat Maheeyong

Wat Maheeyong

Wat Maheeyong was one of the royal temples in the Ayutthaya kingdom. From the records, it was built in the Early of the 15^th century. However, some claim that it was built 40 years before the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Wat Maheeyong is one of the rarely heard or visited temples by tourists. The temple has old and new sites, which are opposing to each other. Sometimes, in the old sanctuary, there are also some Buddhist practitioners meditating.

On the picture, the entrance corridor to Wat Maheeyong (the old temple).

The Buddhist practitioners usually wear white clothes. White clothes symbolize the purity.

On the picture, sanctuary of the old temple.

Headless Buddha statues are seen everywhere in the Ayutthaya's old temples. In the old days, Buddha statues were used to stash gold, which robbers tried to find by removing the heads.

The bell shape pagoda surrounded by the elephants is an art style originating from the Sukhothai Kingdom.

A view from the old window frame of the sanctuary.

A typical Thai Stele, usually made of stone, is the written evidence recording the story about this temple.

Opposite of the old temple, the new Wat Maheeyong, was built as a meditation forest for the Buddhist practitioners. Many Buddhist meditators come here to meditate and to learn Buddhism. It is possible to stay overnight here also.

The man made cave altar was built as a place for a monk to teach the meditators.

The Eternal Dhamma cave, was built resembling the Isippattanamarukkhatayyawan forest or Sarnath forest according to the Buddhism story. The Sarnath forest used to be the meeting place for pilgrim to come and seek the peacefulness in their mind.

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Recommended temples to visit in Ayutthaya: Wat Khunsan

Wat Khunsan

This is the home town area of the first king of the Rattanakosin Kingdom, Somdet - Phraputthayodfaa - Chulalook-mahaarat or as we know, the founder King of Bangkok. He was originally of Mon (Rman) race. Rman or Mon are one of the earliest ethnic groups to inhabit the area of which we know as Burma nowadays.

The story of this temple goes back to the mid 16^th century. King Naresuan was adopted by the Mon’s king, Hongswadee, when he was 9 years old due to the loss of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. By time, king Hongsawadee became afraid that king Naresuan would betray Burma. So he asked the knights Phraya Kiat and Phraya Raam to trap and arrested him. However, during that time both of them were students of the monk Mahaathen kan chong. As the monk was fond of King Naresuan, he brought the knights with him to the King Naresuan and informed him about the plan. King Naresuan saw that the Hongsawadee king was not a good person, because he did not follow the Buddhist principles as a good king should. So he announced a liberty in order to be free from the Hongsawadee king and Burma.

King Naresuan brought the knight with him to do civil service work in the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Other of the knights, Phraya Kiat, established his home and family around the Wat Khunsan area. Time passed, the children and the heirs of him became also respected civil servants. One of them was the Phraputthayodfaa Chulalok, or the first king of the Rattanakosin Kingdom.

The pagoda is in bended position and outer layer of bricks has been built to protect the pagoda. Small Buddha statues crafted from sand stone have been damaged and only the lower body parts are left.

Renovation history

During the King Rama IV period, this temple had an on-going renovation. Before the renovation was nearly completed, the King Rama IV passed away and the renovation was suspended. Even though this temple has been registered as one of the ancient sights to be preserved, it is not taken care of anymore.  The villagers have invaded the area and established a small community. Once, it was a sex trade area in Ayutthaya also. Though nowadays there is no such thing anymore, the Fine Arts Institution of Thailand (Krom Silpaakorn) decided in 1993 to give up renovating the temple.

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