Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing, Bangkok

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Wat Suthat

Wat Suthat is a one of the largest temple in Bangkok. Wat Suthat have a great architecture.


Information
Name: Wat Suthat
Theme: Wat-Temple, Architecture, Buddha Image
Location: Ratanakosin Island
Close to: Bangkok City Hall
City: Bangkok
Pictures in the web: Wat Suthat
Last Visit: September 2008


My Photos
First Photo: Wat Suthat
Second Photo: The main building in Wat Suthat
Third Photo: Wat Suthat
Forth Photo: Architecture
Fifth Photo: Buddha Image in Wat Suthat

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The Giant Swing was build by King Rama II (1809-1824) to honour and thank the god Shiva for the rice harvest. The festivities around the Giant Swing also requested Shiva a good harvest the next time. During this celebration period Shiva would visit the earth for 10 days. During celebrations men sometimes swung more than 25 meters in the air. Due to many accidents this is now frobidden.

The Wat Suhat temple houses an 8 meter high bronze Buddha statue which contains the ashes of King Rama VIII. This temple has received the highest temple grading in Thailand. Certainly woth a visit.

Link:
http://filipdemuinck-kristelpardon.blogspot.com/2009/11/wat-suhat-and-giant-swing-en-de-reuze.html

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Wat Suthat is a royal temple of the first grade, one of six such temples in Thailand. Construction was begun by His Majesty King Rama I in 1807. Further construction and decorations were carried out by King Rama II who helped carve the wooden doors, but the temple was not completed until the reign of King Rama III in 1847. This temple contains the Buddha image Phra Sri Sakyamuni or "Sisakayamunee" which was moved from Sukhothai province. At the lower terrace of the base, there are 28 Chinese pagodas which mean the 28 Buddhas born on this earth. For me, this temple was one of the most peaceful as you can sit against the wall or a pillar on the floor, relax and watch the locals come and go.

The Giant Swing is located in front of Wat Suthat temple and is one of Bangkok's best known sights. It was originally constructed in 1784 in front of the Devasathan shrine by King Rama I. During the reign of Rama II the swing ceremony was discontinued as the swing had become structurally damaged by lightning. In 1920 it was renovated and moved to its current location in order to make space for a gas plant. The ceremony was again performed until 1935, when it was discontinued after several fatal accidents. A major reconstruction began in April 2005. Six teak tree trunks were used. The two used for the main structure of the swing are over 3.5m in circumference and over 30m in height.

The Ceremony of Tri-yampawai or the Swing Ceremony was one of the 12 royal ceremonies held in each of the months of the Thai lunar calendar in the Sukhothai kingdom. Originally held in the first lunar month, it was moved to the second lunar month in the early Rattanakosin period at the beginning of the 19th century. The ceremony was a Bhramin new year's ceremony and lasted for 10 days.

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A huge red teak arch is all that remains of an original giant swing, which was used to celebrate and thank Shiva for a bountiful rice harvest and to ask for the god's blessing on the next.

The minister of rice, accompanied by hundreds of Brahman court astrologers, would lead a parade around the city walls to the temple precinct. Teams of men would ride the swing on arcs as high as 82 feet in the air, trying to grab a bag of silver coins with their teeth.

Due to injuries and deaths, the dangerous swing ceremony was discontinued in 1932, but the thanksgiving festival is still celebrated in mid-December after the rice harvest.

There really isn't a lot to see here, but the history is quite interesting. Originally, The Swing was built in 1784, but was damaged through lightning. In 1920 it was moved to where it stands today. The Swing we see today is new, erected in 2006. The Swing was used in an annual Brahmanic ceremony until 1930, and then use of it was discontinued because of the high percentage of fatalities. young men ( Brahmins) tried to swing high enough to grab a bag of Gold coins on one of the poles, 25metres in the air, no wonder there were fatalities, and how brave they were!
The pillars of the Giant Swing represent the Mountains, the circular base represents the Earth and Seas

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One of the more important temples in Bangkok, Wat Suthat has a very beautiful Wiharn with murals that could easily rival that in Wat Phra Keao. The murals depict the life and times of the Buddha in addition to the daily life of Thais in the early Rattanakosin era. There were also interesting paintings of European tall-ships and farang traders on a pillar inside the Wiharn.

Housed in the Wiharn is the very ancient Phra Si Sakkayamuni Buddha image. It is also the principle Buddha image of Wat Suthat.

It is an interesting temple that blends Chinese influences with Thai architecture. Thai Wiharns usually have Sima stones (boundary markers) surrounding the building, but in Wat Suthat's example, Chinese style stupas does the job instead. There are numerous other chinese images of officials and warriors around the temple.

A must see.

The Giant Swing is located in the middle of a major intersection. The 21-meter-high wooden swing was once used in Brahmanic ceremonies discontinued in 1932 due to the high accident rate. The swing was constructed in 1784 and underwent a major rebuilding project in 2005-2006.

Next to the swing is Wat Suthat which is known for its 19th Century murals.