Group 9 / April 21, 2024
History
Wat Chana Songkram is one of an important royal temple, it was built back in Aydhaya era and was majorly renovated by Somdej Phrabovornrajjao Maha Surasinghanat, a younger brother of King Rama the 1st, the founder of Chakri dynasty and Bangkok around 235 years ago. He was appointed as the 2nd King when his brother took over the throne then.
The title of the temple Chana Songkram means winning war, considering as a good name to commemorate the Siam-Burma war during that period. It was told that the amulet shirt from the 2nd King himself was kept inside the main buddha image of the temple.
The construction and design of this temple is unique and different from a royal palace style, locally we called this the art Wang Na ( front palace) style. For those who are interested in Thai art, you may also observe this at the National museum which was a former palace of the second king and at Wat Mahatat.
There is a special room dedicated to be a storage place of the second king descendants’ remaining, this room has been closed and concealed to outsider in the past few decades. During my latest visit, I found that the room is now open to public. This is one of the interesting point to visit to see how the royal house keeps their ancestors remaining. Most of the royal family members remaining are kept in the royal palace and closed to the public. This is one of a kind and worth to visit if you stay around Khao san area.
Architectural
Wat Chana Songkhram’s walls are a combination of ancient and modern architecture. Patterns and symbols Temple walls frequently feature Buddhist patterns and symbols, such as lotus patterns, liao patterns, and plain patterns. Symbols such as balloons, Buddha’s foot organ, and the compass are important and have religious meaning. Moreover, the walls of Wat Chana Songkhram often feature bright colors to create a bright and lively place. Colors that often appear on walls include gold, green, red, and white, which are colors that symbolize purity and good fortune. Furthermore, Wat Chana Songkhram frequently uses high-quality and durable materials such as marble, glazed tiles, steel, and gray gold to cope well with weather and environmental conditions.
One of the stories that appear on the walls of Wat Chana Songkhram is the story of the Buddha image in the posture of Mara. The temple records the story of the Buddha, and the image of the Buddha in Mara’s posture holds significant importance. In the past, a monk discovered a Buddha image in the posture of Mara in a forest. The Buddha image had a beautiful appearance, and it is unique. As a result, the monks brought the Buddha image to the temple and built a Buddha hall to protect it from the weather. This story reflects the religious beliefs of the temple people.
