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Tuesday 24 April 2018
Check Out........With the best part of my blog finished last night, I can crack on with it this morning and still have time to plan an itinerary for Lamphun. However we still don’t feel comfortable at Baanlapoon Hotel and make preparations to leave. Having indicated we might stay a while in Lamphun, the receptionist seems a bit surprised. I wonder why? Still well before noon, we could just check in to our next accommodation but there are a few important temples only minutes away.
Historic Lamphun........While we always had the time to visit several provinces on this tour if I had to pick one out of the bunch, it’s Lamphun. Today Lamphun is a small province and seemingly a poor neighbour to the immensely popular Chaing Mai less than an hour away. However historically there is no question which province is the most important. Chiang Mai was established in the 13th Century and has held regional status ever since. Lamphun’s history by contrast goes back way further. It is well known that Buddhism established in India spread east into Burma via Sri Lanka. The first introduction into what in now Thailand is said to have taken place here as early as 531 A.D. In 659 A.D. Phra Nang Chamatawei, the daughter of a Lawo king established the city of Nakorn Haripunchai and became the queen of the new Kingdom of Hariphunchai. This kingdom promoted the spread of Buddhism which was adopted by later kingdoms as they gradually gained power over the Khmer Empire. For any visitor to this province knowing this basic history is practically essential for visiting the main temples in Lamphun. For me it goes a long way towards explaining the religion and culture that exits here today and with some variation in the rest of Thailand too.
Wat San Pa Yang Luang........By any stretch of the imagination, Wat San Pa Yang Luang is impressive on account of its history but the temple buildings on this historic site are stunning beautiful representing the best in Thai religious art. The first monastery here was founded by three Buddhist monks who had travelled from Burma, the date given as 531 A.D. It clearly had a lasting impression on the Phra Nang Jammatawee (or Chamthewi) who regularly came here for dhamma practice. What the visitor sees today is reconstruction and renovation in the best traditions of Hariphunchai design.
Check Out........With the best part of my blog finished last night, I can crack on with it this morning and still have time to plan an itinerary for Lamphun. However we still don’t feel comfortable at Baanlapoon Hotel and make preparations to leave. Having indicated we might stay a while in Lamphun, the receptionist seems a bit surprised. I wonder why? Still well before noon, we could just check in to our next accommodation but there are a few important temples only minutes away.
Historic Lamphun........While we always had the time to visit several provinces on this tour if I had to pick one out of the bunch, it’s Lamphun. Today Lamphun is a small province and seemingly a poor neighbour to the immensely popular Chaing Mai less than an hour away. However historically there is no question which province is the most important. Chiang Mai was established in the 13th Century and has held regional status ever since. Lamphun’s history by contrast goes back way further. It is well known that Buddhism established in India spread east into Burma via Sri Lanka. The first introduction into what in now Thailand is said to have taken place here as early as 531 A.D. In 659 A.D. Phra Nang Chamatawei, the daughter of a Lawo king established the city of Nakorn Haripunchai and became the queen of the new Kingdom of Hariphunchai. This kingdom promoted the spread of Buddhism which was adopted by later kingdoms as they gradually gained power over the Khmer Empire. For any visitor to this province knowing this basic history is practically essential for visiting the main temples in Lamphun. For me it goes a long way towards explaining the religion and culture that exits here today and with some variation in the rest of Thailand too.
Wat San Pa Yang Luang........By any stretch of the imagination, Wat San Pa Yang Luang is impressive on account of its history but the temple buildings on this historic site are stunning beautiful representing the best in Thai religious art. The first monastery here was founded by three Buddhist monks who had travelled from Burma, the date given as 531 A.D. It clearly had a lasting impression on the Phra Nang Jammatawee (or Chamthewi) who regularly came here for dhamma practice. What the visitor sees today is reconstruction and renovation in the best traditions of Hariphunchai design.
Wat San Pa Yang Luang, Lamphun
Wat Phra Yuen........Not too far away on the south side of the river is Wat Phra Yuen. The onsite information states that according to legend this temple was built by Queen Chamthewi in 690 A.D. but some historians believe it was built by King Amikaraj of Haripunchai in the 12th Century. Officially it was named Wat Aranyikaram, the chedi designed to house four Buddha images in niches facing in all four directions. The arched roof is topped with round and bell-shaped ornamental finials similar to that at Bagan in Burma and Wat Pa Sak in Chiang Rai.
The additional buildings on site today are in Lanna and Chiang Saen styles. One particular building houses an important Buddha image some 500 years old. Apparently due to tradition women cannot enter this hall but they are free to view the image here.
The additional buildings on site today are in Lanna and Chiang Saen styles. One particular building houses an important Buddha image some 500 years old. Apparently due to tradition women cannot enter this hall but they are free to view the image here.
Wat Phra Yuen, Lamphun
Phaya Inn........Accepting that this has the potential to be another long day out, I suggest we check in to our accommodation first and then take lunch. Locating Phaya Inn close to the river in a peaceful location, I’m hoping for a better result than last night. Formalities this time are much easier as we check in the room. Normally I look around to check if all the boxes are ticked but here there’s another box I wouldn’t think to consider. As soon as I walk through the door I immediately feel at home. While Phaya Inn doesn’t have a restaurant others are free to advertise and Katoon is soon on the phone ordering a set meal. In hardly more time than it takes if you were actually sitting in their restaurant, the order arrives for no more than I would normally pay for lunch. It’s more than we can eat, having to store some of it in the fridge. Under these conditions it’s going to take some effort to continue our explorations again. I’m soon fast asleep. Then at about 3.30pm there’s movement.
Wat Phraputthabat Tak Phra........While logic would suggest that we continue to add visits to a few more temples around the city, Katoon has a fascination with one in the district of Pa Sang which lies to the southwest of Lamphun about 30 minutes away but I struggle to find it via GPS and we resort to the old method of asking local people. Arriving at the temple at the foot of a hill, I'm not surprised yet again to see a chedi perched on the top of the hill with a staircase leading to it. 'Oh not another one', I exclaim as I look for onsite information.
Having located that, it relates that this is an old and very important temple. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha once stayed here and dried his outer robe on the nearby cliff. The trace of a likeness of a monk’s saffron robe can be found here as well as a footprint of the Buddha in the temple ground. Beautiful mural paintings adorn the interior of the temple, while around the temple it is lush and peaceful. Every year on the 8th day of the 6th month on the lunar calendar, believed to be Lord Buddha’s cremation day, the temple holds an annual Bathing Ceremony to mark the auspicious occasion.
In the meantime Katoon has discovered a road leading up to the chedi much to my relief as we head around the hill. Noting that during the trip here the clouds have formed into a shade of grey, that colour has significantly deepened as we make the ascent then not far from the summit our progress is halted with tree down blocking the road. Undeterred Katoon gets out of the car to investigate. We both realise that as it's quite small there is a possibility of dragging it aside to create enough space for the car to pass through. Success! We can reach the chedi. Parking up we start to explore and take photos but it’s soon clear with the wind picking up and rumbles of thunder, we’ll in for a tropical storm. As thunder and lightning increases the wind howls around the chedi and the rain starts. We have no option but to take cover and sit it out well aware that this is not the best place to be but we have to stay put at least until the wind subsides. While this is quite frightening at times it typically lasts the half hour by which time with rain still falling and gloom all around we have to declare activities for the day over. Returning to the car we take another route back to Lamphun but either way we will find evening traffic.
Wat Phraputthabat Tak Phra........While logic would suggest that we continue to add visits to a few more temples around the city, Katoon has a fascination with one in the district of Pa Sang which lies to the southwest of Lamphun about 30 minutes away but I struggle to find it via GPS and we resort to the old method of asking local people. Arriving at the temple at the foot of a hill, I'm not surprised yet again to see a chedi perched on the top of the hill with a staircase leading to it. 'Oh not another one', I exclaim as I look for onsite information.
Having located that, it relates that this is an old and very important temple. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha once stayed here and dried his outer robe on the nearby cliff. The trace of a likeness of a monk’s saffron robe can be found here as well as a footprint of the Buddha in the temple ground. Beautiful mural paintings adorn the interior of the temple, while around the temple it is lush and peaceful. Every year on the 8th day of the 6th month on the lunar calendar, believed to be Lord Buddha’s cremation day, the temple holds an annual Bathing Ceremony to mark the auspicious occasion.
In the meantime Katoon has discovered a road leading up to the chedi much to my relief as we head around the hill. Noting that during the trip here the clouds have formed into a shade of grey, that colour has significantly deepened as we make the ascent then not far from the summit our progress is halted with tree down blocking the road. Undeterred Katoon gets out of the car to investigate. We both realise that as it's quite small there is a possibility of dragging it aside to create enough space for the car to pass through. Success! We can reach the chedi. Parking up we start to explore and take photos but it’s soon clear with the wind picking up and rumbles of thunder, we’ll in for a tropical storm. As thunder and lightning increases the wind howls around the chedi and the rain starts. We have no option but to take cover and sit it out well aware that this is not the best place to be but we have to stay put at least until the wind subsides. While this is quite frightening at times it typically lasts the half hour by which time with rain still falling and gloom all around we have to declare activities for the day over. Returning to the car we take another route back to Lamphun but either way we will find evening traffic.
Phaya Inn (top left), Lamphun City and Wat Phraputthabat Tak Phra, Pa Sang District, Lamphun Province
Lamphun Railway Station........With Lamphun Railway Station the not far from Phaya Inn we make a detour knowing that we also need some shopping. At the station there's no activity remembering that only twelve trains per day pass though it on the Bangkok to Chiang Mai main line. Perhaps I can return to it later when there is some activity.
What no Beer!........The final act of the day is to call at 7Eleven but I’ll have to do without a beer since this branch is too close to the sacred Wat Phra That Hariphunchai that it’s not allowed to sell alcohol. Urggg!
What no Beer!........The final act of the day is to call at 7Eleven but I’ll have to do without a beer since this branch is too close to the sacred Wat Phra That Hariphunchai that it’s not allowed to sell alcohol. Urggg!
Lamphun Railway Station, Lamphun
With provisions now available we can eat back in the room where I can record the day’s events but in that respect there’s not much to do regarding site visits today. In fact it’s been rather disappointing the way things have turned out. Next Page.