Bangkok – Wat Phra Kaew Painting

Painting from 'Landscapes' set. Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha; full official name Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram) is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha housed in the temple is a potent religio-political symbol and the palladium (protective image) of Thai society. It is located in Phra Nakhon District, the historic centre of Bangkok, within the precincts of the Grand Palace. The main building is the central phra ubosot, which houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha. According to legend, this Buddha image originated in India where the sage Nagasena prophesized that the Emerald Buddha would bring "prosperity and pre-eminence to each country in which it resides", the Emerald Buddha deified in the Wat Phra Kaew is therefore deeply revered and venerated in Thailand as the protector of the country. Historical records however dates its finding to Chiang Rai in the 15th century where, after it was relocated a number of times, it was finally taken to Thailand in the 18th century. It was enshrined in Bangkok at the Wat Phra Kaew temple in 1782 during the reign of Phutthayotfa Chulalok, King Rama I (1782–1809). This marked the beginning of the Chakri Dynasty of Thailand, whose current sovereign is Vajiralongkorn, King Rama X. The Emerald Buddha, a dark green statue, is in a standing form, about 66 centimetres (26 in) tall, carved from a single jade stone ("emerald" in Thai means deep green colour and not the specific stone). It is carved in the meditating posture in the style of the Lanna school of the northern Thailand. Except for the Thai King and, in his stead, the Crown Prince, no other persons are allowed to touch the statue. The King changes the cloak around the statue three times a year, corresponding to the summer, winter, and rainy seasons, an important ritual performed to usher good fortune to the country during each season. The Grand Palace in Bangkok is one of the most popular places to visit for tourists coming to Thailand. Bangkok or Krung Thep (City of Angels) was founded in 1782 by King Rama I. The new capital is basically a replica of Ayutthaya, the previous capital of Siam (Thailand’s former name). The palace and its royal temple followed Ayutthaya model. Wat Pra Kaew was built in 1785 for two main purposes: to house the highly revered Buddha image, The Emerald Buddha, and to accommodate royal Buddhist ceremonies. Despite the name, the Buddha is in fact carved from a block of green jade. It was discovered in 1434 in a stupa in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand. The Buddha’s costume has to be changed three times a year in summer, rainy season and cold season by our beloved King. There are several interesting structures within the compound, for example, Pha Sri Rattanajedi – a golden bell-shaped pagoda which holds relics of the Lord Buddha and the Royal Pantheon – a magnificent pavilion with corn-shaped summit, constructed to commemorate the great kings of the Chakri Dynasty. The walls around the temple are decorated with beautiful mural paintings based on a well-known literature, Ramayana. They were first painted during the reign of King Rama I, but several major restorations have taken place after that to counter the damage from moisture. A gateway connects Wat Pra Kaew to The Grand Palace which was established in 1782. It had served as a royal residence until 1925. Its most famous throne hall is the Chakri Maha Prasat, which was built in 1882 during the reign of King Rama V who had been on several visits to Europe. The body of a Victorian style building is covered with a authentic Traditional Thai style roof.