Indiana Jones and the Emerald Buddha

What gives a talisman its power? The last is undeniable in the case of the Emerald Buddha; for centuries people died in attempts to defend or capture it. Is it an immemorial origin half buried in the fog of legends? Is it strange events leading to its disappearance and even stranger ones related to its re-apparition? Or maybe it is due to the rare materials used for its construction. Certainly the power is not related to its physical size, since the Emerald Buddha is tiny.

A talisman does not exist in a vacuum; it is part of a given culture and must thus be closely related to its symbols, history and beliefs in order to be considered valuable. Thus its power lies in its capability to represent vast and important parts of the culture that created it. The Emerald Buddha tests positive in each one of these points and is thus the most revered Buddha figure in Thailand; magical powers are attributed to it, including the very survival of the Chakri Dynasty. As such, it is probably the most important talisman in the modern world.

Anybody aware of Buddha's teaching would be surprised - and disappointed - from the worshipping of its image in Thailand. People revere an image and not his teachings. This is partially the result of Buddhism having been introduced into a deeply animist culture. Animism has survived hidden within Buddhism; the Emerald Buddha is an excellent testimony of that.

The Chiang Mai's Chapter

The actual Chiang Mai was the former capital of the the Lanna Kingdom and as such it hosted a similar amount of temples.

One of them, almost at the geographical centre of Chiang Mai's Old City is Wat Chedi Luang, where the Emerald Buddha found a residence between 1468 and 1553AC.

The temple is along the central Thanon Ratchamanka and is very easy to spot, despite its damaged and diminished chedi: this is the most accessible of all the locations along this quest.

The Emerald Buddha was brought here from Lampang, after a long and unpredicted delay there in its way here from Chiang Rai.

From Chiang Mai, the Laoians took it, and kept it first in Luang Prabang, their northern principality, and later in Vientiane, the central one. A couple of centuries later, the last one paid a dear price for the statue - it was burned to the ground - when it was brought back to Thailand.

Reaching the Temple

Considered as the second biggest city in the kingdom and as the biggest in the north, Chiang Mai is very accessible. A flight from Bangkok costs a little more than fifty dollars and tickets can be bought directly at the terminal a few minutes before the flight.

Night buses, specially the VIP class, are a good value and leave from Mo Chit, the northern terminal in Bangkok. Bus number three arrives there from Khaosan Road. It is better to buy the ticket during the day; otherwise the desired bus and place may be full.

Once in Chiang Mai, the Chedi is close to the main concentration of hotels and guesthouses around the Tha Pae Gate of the Old City. Cross the gate and advance along the main avenue Thanon Ratchadamnoen until reaching the junction with Thanon Phra Pokklao - the main north to south avenue within the old city. Go one block south (left) and turn west (right) to Thanon Ratchamanka. The temple is half a block later at the right side.

A Special Spot

Every one of the historical locations of the Emerald Buddha is special in certain way; usually signs of worshipping can be seen even long after the image was taken away.

This is the point were Chiang Mai is different: the Wat Chedi Luang shows presently only a fraction of its original splendour; it was never completely restored from the damage caused by the disastrous 1545's earthquake. Some speculate that the weakened city after the natural disaster facilitated the task of the Laotian invaders eight years later.

Its partially refurbished Chedi is very unlike the Thai habits, especially considering that the same temple keeps the Inthakin, the city's pillar; hence, we should watch out for a complete restoration process in the future which will restore the old glory to the Old City.

Replica

The temple features a green glass replica of the Emerald Buddha. Religious protocol requires such an item to be different in size from the original. Consequently, this one is quite oversized.

In many Asian cultures history is not important. Records from past eras are sketchy or inexistent. In those places, cities and cultures seem to have appeared from nowhere and after a while to have returned there without any obvious reason. There are two obvious exceptions: The Chinese and the Thai.

In those cultures, every little administrative detail is recorded with excruciating detail. Hierarchical status of people and buildings are described until a Western mind gets lost; everything is surrounded by a rigid set of rules. Interestingly, this behavior is reflected in both languages*; being tonal ones they do not give their speakers even the freedom of expressing their emotions through the use of tones as it is done in Indo-European and Semitic languages.

Buddhist temples in Thailand are subject to a complex system of evaluation run by the monarchy. Events in its far past determine its actual status. Nothing is forgotten nor forgiven. Compared to this rigid system; the Mosaic Law looks suddenly as a toddler's game. The redemptive doctrine of Christianity looks here - as warned by Apostle Paul - as complete madness.

Chiang Rai

In Chiang Rai, this plays in favor of a relatively small and indistinctive temple placed on the town's outskirts.

Chiang Rai, a small town combining a rural ambience with most commodities of bigger cities, is in Thailand's far north, next to the triple border with Laos and Myanmar. The Gate to the Golden Triangle is a fast growing trekking area as well, but between these huge centers of activity hide many silent attractions of historical interest; among them is Wat Phrae Keo.

Reaching the temple

Chiang Rai is accessible from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and all the main Thai cities. Bangkok offers direct flights and excellent buses; the last depart from the Mo Chit Northern Terminal.

From Chiang Mai, buses leave to Chiang Rai from the Akaed terminal; pay attention since its name is usually spelled Arcade, but do to peculiarities of the Thai scripture it is pronounce Akaed. The trip in a direct bus longs between three and four hours, and you will arrive to the bus terminal in central Chiang Rai; many good guesthouses and hotels are in the vicinity.

To find the temple advance north a long block from the terminal area until you reach the junction with Thanon Phaholyothin and turn to the west (left). Cross the Clock Tower, after which the street changes its name to Thanon Banphaprakan and then turn to the north (right) once reaching the junction with Thanon Trairat: the temple is at the left side after three blocks.

Wat Phra Keo

Chiang Rai is the proper place to begin this quest after the Emerald Buddha since this is where it began its modern story. In 1390AC (or 1933BE of the Buddhist Era as calculated in Thailand), King Mahabhrom of Chiang Rai took it from Kampangpetch in < Cambodia and hide it inside a stupa, where only in 1977BE (1434AC) the stupa was split open by a lightning and the image revealed.

Mueng Komp, governor of Chiang Rai in those days, reported to King Fang Sam Nae of Chiang Mai who sent an elephant procession to bring it to Lampang two years after the discovery. The Emerald Buddha was brought to Chiang Mai from Lampang only after a long and unpredicted delay there.

While in Chiang Rai, the image was kept at Wat Payier (Bamboo Forest Temple), which after the discovery changed its name to Wat Phrae Keo (Temple of the Holy Glass Buddha).

Despite the many years of absence from its discovery spot, the Emerald Buddha halo still surrounds the temple that enjoys much prestige among the Thais and was awarded a royal third class Wat degree in 1978 despite its humble size and relative insignificance.

Since 1991 there is a good replica of the Emerald Buddha donated by a Chinese denizen of Chiang Rai. The temple itself shows a good degree of artisanship and is worth a visit on itself.

An Unusual Stop

In the Emerald Buddha history, Lampang was the only a priori temporary stop. Yet following not completely clear circumstances it stayed there for several years instead of a few nights along the way from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai.

The temporary status is pretty obvious just by looking at the Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao location. Elsewhere, the Emerald Buddha got an honourable spot at the very centre of downtown; in Lampang it was not so. In addition, Lampang was never more than the secondary capital of the Lanna Kingdom - replacing Chiang Mai whenever the last was under attack - making the stay even more unusual.

Reaching Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao

The result of this complex history is that Lampang is the hardest location to reach in this quest and the less developed one as well.

On the other hand, it closeness to the biggest city in Thailand's North, which is 100km to its northwest, allows to visit it in a day trip from its bigger sister, maybe even as a stop in the way to Bangkok. Lampang is the city where Highway #1, leading to Chiang Rai, Highway #11, leading to Chiang Mai and the northern railways make their encounter; many buses leave to it from the Akaed terminus in Chiang Mai and more sporadically from the Flowers Market (regular buses cost 55B and do the way in ninety minutes).

At the main intersection of the town, there is a sign reading: "Welcome to Khelang Nakhon, the civilization along the Mae Wang River for the past 1323 years."

Khelang Nakhon is the original name of Lampang and despite the welcome, once there things get a little complicated because the Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao temple is in the rural outskirts; but finding it is half of the fun.

The bus terminal and the train station are both in the southwestern part of the town, while the temple is across the Wang River in the far northeastern part. A relaxed walk from the terminal to the temple takes around one pleasant hour.

To make the walk easier, horsecarts - one of the best-known features of the town - can be used; Lampang is the last city in Thailand hosting them. Most of them are around the temples at the very centre of town. The carriages are heavily adorned and the horses are very small, almost ponies and next to their stops you will find souvenir shops.

If walking, then reach the river and follow it until the bridge where the river bends north, on Thanon Thamaoo; once on the other side, follow it until Thanon Suchada and then climb along this street away from the river: after a few minutes, the temple appears at the right side.

Leaving Lampang

There are two options for reaching Bangkok from here. The more interesting one is the second-class bus through Uttaradit: it leaves at 20:45 and costs 270B. The other one is one of the many VIP buses arriving from Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and crossing the town, a ticket on them costs 347B. To make the waiting more pleasant, there is a Big C supermarket branch just south of the terminal; this is the biggest chain of supermarkets in Thailand and their stores include attractive food plazas.

The Temple

The Emerald Buddha was in Lampang for 32 years, from 1979 to 2011BE (1436 to 1468AC) and then it was moved to Chiang Mai.

The temple was built especially to enshrine the image of the same name that resides now in the Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, away from the town and next to the village of Kor Kha. This temple - due to its rural location - is significantly larger than most and includes a huge and well kept yard.

When the Emerald Buddha arrived on an elephant from Chiang Rai, it displaced the original image, and the temple got renamed Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao. The temple is an extravagant mix of Thai, Burmese, Buddhist and European styles - each one were added at a different time; an elegant but smallish stuppa adorns the complex, giving it a golden hue. The beautiful grass and majestic trees surrounding it impose a slightly European look to the whole area. This eclectic reality is not casual, Northern Thailand was for centuries a strategic border-line area; it often changed hands and that is reflected in this temple's styles. Nowadays it features a small museum.

The only way to really appreciate and enjoy the first sight of the Emerald Buddha is by keeping it for the end of this quest. Only then the tiny figure - placed almost out of sight atop an elaborated altar and eternally surrounded by a crowd of worshippers - can make sense.

For the benefit of the many travelers visiting Bangkok, the Royal Palace is within walking distance from Khaosan Road; there awaits the Emerald Buddha itself.

Practicalities

The palace compound charges an admission fee from foreigners only, Thais enter free for no clear reason. The ticket includes visits to Wat Phrae Kaeo, to the Grand Palace Compound, to the Royal Thai Decorations and Coins Pavilion and to the Vimanmek Mansion and Apisek Dusit Throne Hall on Ratchawithi Road.

Proper dress is required; women visitors must wear long pants or long skirts and men in short pants are not allowed to enter. Photography inside the main temple is forbidden. The palace is open daily, between 8:30am and 3:30pm.

History

In 1552AC, Laotian invaders took the Emerald Buddha from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, the capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom, and later, in 1564AC, to Vientiane, the new Laotian capital.

When the Thai King Taksin declared war against the Laotians in 1778, the image was captured and taken to the Thai capital of Thonburi by the general Chakri, who became then King Rama I in 1782 and founder of the actual Chakri dynasty.

From 1779 until 1784 the Emerald Buddha was kept in Thonburi. Then, it was moved to the Wat Phra Kaew temple within the Ratanakosin Grand Palace of the new capital across the river: Bangkok. Since then it has not been moved and has assumed its most intriguing role as the power talisman of the actual dynasty.

Phra Borom Maharatchawong

Few places manage to transfer its visitors to another, magical world as the Ratanakosin Grand Palace does. While crossing the park leading there, spires and stupas densely rising above the wall surrounding the complex in an impossible kaleidoscope of colors and shapes act as an irresistible magnet for visitors. A view from another world, where spirits are believed to live within talismans, statues and little, colored houses.

Unluckily, the palace suffers from a known disease in South East Asian attractions: locals enter for free, while tourists are asked to pay a significant entrance fee. In other locations you can solve the problem by arriving early in the morning or after the closure, but here the temple is within the palace walls and that strategy cannot be adopted.

The Grand Palace splendor is known worldwide and it stands up to the expectations; the reverence of the locals to it and especially to the Wat at its center is a touching sight. The Yaksha - huge statues of demons from the Ramayana Hindu epic - keep in pairs all the entrances to the complex so that evil spirits are kept outside its limits. Garudas holding Nagas (birdmen holding serpents) support the colorful central structure were the image is kept.

Wat Phra Kaeo

Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is a wonderful chedi adorned with Thai orange-and-green roof tiles, mosaic-encrusted pillars and rich marble pediments hosting the Emerald Buddha (Phra Kaeo Morakot) - the most highly revered Buddha image in Thailand. The image sits high at the chedi's center; it is only 66cm high and carved from a single block of fine jade. There are three costumes for the Buddha, one for each one of the Thai seasons; the two, which are not in use at a given moment, can be seen at the nearby Royal Decorations and Coins Pavilion. Atop a high pedestal the Buddha is hardly visible; doubly so since the costumes used to dress it leave very little to be seen.

Hordes of worshippers block the way to it, thus the main sight in the temple are the numerous sculptures of the Thai mythology, including fierce-looking giants guarding the gates, six pairs of Khmer-style bronze lions and stone figures from China.

Future

Is this the Emerald Buddha last home? Nobody knows, but for sure this is the most impressive one until the present.

The Statue

The Emerald Buddha is a 45cm tall green jade image that has become the talisman of the Chakri Dynasty in Thailand. Nowadays it is stored at the Wat Phra Kaew temple within the Bangkok Grand Palace and can be easily visited. Its diminutive size - emphasized by its position high above the temple's floor - hides an intriguing story that seems to be the inspiration for the Indiana Jones adventures.

The Clothes

The statue is kept clothed with gold garments. There are three sets, each one fit for a different one of the three Thai seasons (dry and cold, dry and hot, rainy and hot). The sets can be seen on the statue and in the nearby Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Thai Coins. The clothes are changed by the Thai king himself, but it is rather difficult to get invitations for the event.

The Legend

Legend says that the image was created around 300BE (Buddhist Era - 43BC), in There Phra Nakasen in Patalibutr (modern Patna), India and then it was moved to Sri Lanka as a protective move due to local wars. From here there are at least two versions explaining its arrival to South East Asia. One claims that King Bhukarm requested it to be returned, but the sampan was hit by a monsoon rain and swept ashore to Cambodia, where it was enshrined first at Inthapath (Angkor Wat), and later at Sri Ayuthaya, Lawo and Kampangpetch respectively. The second version claims it was being shipped to Burma (457AC) together with Buddhist scriptures requested by King Anuruth; again, the sampan ended up in Cambodia.

The History

In 1933BE (1390AC), King Mahabhrom of Chiang Rai took it from Kampangpetch and hided it inside a stuppa. Only in 1977BE (1434AC) it was revealed after the stuppa was split open by a thunderbolt; the jade was thought to be emerald and the image modern name was coined. Mueng Komp, then Governor of Chiang Rai, reported the finding to King Fang Sam Nae of Chiang Mai who sent an elephant procession to bring it to his capital. However, the elephants brought the figurine to Lampang, where it stayed for thirty-two years. Afterwards, in 1468AC, it was finally moved to Chiang Mai, the capital of the Lanna Kingdom.

Eighty-five years later, in 1552AC, Laotian invaders took it from there to Luang Prabang, the capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom, and later, in 1564AC, to Vientiane, the new Laotian capital.

When the Thai King Taksin declared war against the Laotians 200 years later, the image was captured and taken to the Thai capital of Thonburi by the general Chakri, who became then Rama I, the founder of the actual Chakri dynasty. From 1779 until 1784 it was kept in Thonburi. Then, the image was moved to the Wat Phra Kaew temple within the Grand Palace of the new capital across the river: Bangkok. Since then it has not been moved.

Following the Force - Traveling on the Emerald Buddha's steps

For centuries, the Emerald Buddha created legends along its torturous path from Sri Lanka to Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. Finally, it created a perfect themed journey, and under the pretext of following its path it is possible to visit some of the most exciting locations in South East Asia. The spirit of this journey requires an overland trip; however, it is no longer possible to travel among the locations using an elephant.

The different historical locations of the Emerald Buddha can be divided into four different areas. Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Lampang are close to each other in Northern Thailand and the temples hosting the image are easy to identify. The Cambodian locations suffered from the Khmer Rouge regime and from a very long period of decadence; there is no clear information where exactly the talisman was kept in each town. The most complicated part of the trip is if you want to make the way from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang overland. Entering Laos from Vientiane is easier but it is the opposite route to the one taken by the idol. The statue's actual home, Bangkok's Grand Palace, is the easiest to visit and is the suitable start and end point for such a trip.