Wat Chalong ( Thai วัด ไชย ธารา ราม ) is one of three dozen Buddhist temples in Phuket .
The full name of the temple is Wat Chayyatararam. Located in the southern part of the island in the area ( tambone ) of Chalong, 10 km south of Phuket Town.
Content
History
The founding date is not exactly known, the first written mention dates back to 1837, when the monastery was rebuilt. Originally, the temple was located in the northern part of the modern territory of the complex.
In 1846, the monastery received royal status and the official name of Wat Chayyatararam. The temple gained fame thanks to Luang Pho Chemu - first a monk, and then the abbot of the monastery (from 1876 until his death in 1908 ), a talented doctor and chiropractor. Today, the monastery is the main place of pilgrimage for Thais on the island.
Buildings and Structures
On the territory of the monastery there are several buildings ( Vihar , Ubosot , Montop) and pavilions ( sala ), which were rebuilt in accordance with the rules for creating Buddhist buildings by the architect Phra Maha Fuang Suchanonato, who became rector in 1978 .
Chedi Phra Mahathat Chedi
A stupa was built in 1999 - 2001 . for storing the ashes of Buddha , a fragment of a shoulder bone, donated to the King of Thailand by Rama IX, the Government of Sri Lanka in 1999 on the 72nd anniversary.
Ubosot
The main temple of the monastery, actually Wat Chalong, in which all the rites are held. The temple is not accessible for visitors, only for monks and exclusively for the period of services. The rest of the time, the boom is closed.
Cruciform vihara
The pavilion, in which there are statues of the three most revered monks of the temple - Luang Pho Chema , Luang Pho Chuang and Luan Pho Gluama. The first two of them are known as excellent herbalists and chiropractors. A full-length concrete statue of an elephant is installed in front of the vihara . According to the belief, rubbing the stomach of the statue will bring good luck.
Abode of the abbot ( kuti )
The single building in which the abbot’s cells and the administrative premises of the temple are located. It holds the staff of Luang Pho Chema .
Crematorium and Farewell Hall
In the farewell hall, a coffin is installed with the body of the deceased, after which a farewell ceremony is held (in the neighboring pavilion). Then the coffin is actually transferred inside the crematorium and burned in a furnace, which occupies 90% of its area. Moreover, along with the monks and the rest of the people, elephants were also cremated, since in Thailand elephants are sacred animals, and Thais worship them on a par with man.
Kuti Luang Pho Chema
The structure of dark wood on stilts in which Luang Pho Than lived during the period when he was the rector of the monastery. The house was restored in accordance with preserved photographs, the original construction has not reached our days.
Monastery Life
An annual fair is held at Wat Chalong. Its time varies from year to year.
Literature
- Exploring Phuket & Phi-Phi. From Tin to Tourism. Oliver Hargreave, Chiag Mai, 2008.