Marble temple in Thailand

When you are in Thailand, do not miss out a visit to the Marble Temple or “Wat Benjamabopit” in Bangkok. The temple was constructed in 1899 A.D., during the reign of King Rama the 5th as the source of religious heritage for the future generations of Thais. The main shrine was originally intended to house a highly sacred and revered Budddha image known as Phra Buddha Shinaraja, which at the time was located in the province of Phitsanulok (approximately 300 km north of Bangkok). But when construction of the Marble Temple was complete, a replicate of the Phra Buddha Shinaraja was created and enshrined in the temple instead, due to that the people of Phitsanulok and northern Thailand were unwilling to part with their Buddha image, the main source of their religious inspiration.

The Marble Temple, built entirely out of white marble as its name suggests, manifests the devotion that Thai people have for Buddhism. The architectural and engineering detail put in to the construction of the Wat Benjamabopit is rare by modern standards. Once the visitor enters the temple grounds, he or she will experience a sensation of tranquility and peace.

First gold medal for Thailand in Olympics

Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon of Thailand won the weightlifting gold medal in the women’s 53 kilogram category, all to her total life of 221 kg. South Korea’s Yoon Jinhee finished in second place and Natassia Novikava of Belarus got the bronze.

In her first Snatch attempt, Jaroenrattanatarakoon succeeded at lifting 95kg. In the Clean and Jerk round, 24-year-old Jaroenrattanatarakoon lifted 120kg in her first attempt. She then went on with a stunning attempt of 126kg, which was easily completed and made her an Olympic record holder in the Clean and Jerk. Although she failed to raise her record with her third attempt, her stellar performance won a standing ovation from all spectators in the stadium.

Thailand’s Udomporn Polsak was the champion of this weight class four years ago. Jaroenrattanatarakoon not only retained this title, but also claimed the first gold medal for her country in this year’s Olympics.

Getting married the Thai way

Marriages may be made in heaven, but they are surely performed at one’s own convenience. What makes it more unforgettable is the venue you choose. Today more and more couples are opting to tie the knot in the land known for its grace and style, Thailand. And if you want to go one step further and get married in a typical Thai style then here are a few facts about Thai weddings;

1. June is the most popular month for Thai weddings because it traditionally marks the beginning of the rainy season and thus represents fertility.
2. The marriage ceremony customarily takes place at the home of the bride’s family, a tradition known as wiwamongkhon.
3. The evening before the wedding day, the bride’s family will host a wan suk dip (‘raw/ripe day’) gathering for the couple’s close friends and family.
4. Around dawn on the wedding day, the couple dons traditional Thai wedding attire, varying in elegance according to the budget involved.
5. One member of the wedding parade slings a long drum across one shoulder and beats out a lively rhythm to encourage participants to dance and sing the ramwong klawng yao (‘long drum dance’) throughout the procession.
6. Once the bride has joined the groom, the couple kneels on a ceremonial dais, while bending forward with their arms outstretched and their hands held in the traditional palms-together position.
7. After the ceremony ends, the families host a feast for invited wedding guests along with friends and relatives who may not have attended the ceremonies earlier in the day.

There are many wedding planners also available in Thailand who will look after the planning and execution of the rituals so that you have a hassle free wedding. Try it, as it will be a truly unique way to experience a “weddings abroad”.

Classical Thai Dances

Khon, Lakhon and Fawn Thai are three distinct types of classical Thai dance forms which are extremely popular with the Thai audiences. While each of them has a style of its own, the common string attaching all these dance forms is that they are a mixture of dance, play and dramatizations.

Khon, is a unique dance style wear the performers wear elaborate costumes, masks and often use swords an shield as props. Khon characters are usually demons, monkeys and celestial beings depicting instances from Ramakein, the Thai version of the Indian epic, Ramayana. The uniqueness lies in their emoting strong messages without a single dialogue.

Lakhon has dance movements more subtle than Khon. The performers do not wear masks and the stories are taken from mythological Jataka tales (stories of life of lord Buddha). Usually female dancers carry out the Lakhon, emoting gracefully.

The Fawn Thai is a folk dance form of Thai culture and the main feature here is not the story but folk music which is greatly inspired by Burmese songs and dance.

There are five distinct kinds of Fawn dances. They are:

1. Fawn Leb (Fingernails Dance from Chiang Mai)
2. Fawn Ngiew (Scarf Dance from Chiang Rai)
3. Fawn Marn Gumm Ber (Butterfly Dance)
4. Fawn Marn Mong Kol (Happy Dance)
5. Fawn Tian (Candle Dance)

All these types of dances are performed throughout the year for those interested in exploring Thai culture. There are other types of Thai dances as well adhering to religious beliefs and regional influences. Keep watching this space for more on Thai dances and where in Thailand can you see them.

Chiang Mai - The northern capital of Thailand

Chiang Mai is Thailand’s northern capital. Though it is Thailand’s second largest city, it has a population of just a quarter of a million compared to the population of more than 6 million in Bangkok. It is a pleasant and vibrant city, which has more than 300 temples in which some Burmese architectural influence can be seen. It is particularly nice to bicycle around. Devoid of fast-paced discos, high-end retail shops and warm, soupy beaches, the city instead offers a different variety of treasures; culture and landscape rich in history, tradition, and spirituality.

The city prides itself in 300 centuries-old stone and teak temples which are vestiges of ancient civilizations and the long-ago Lanna Kingdom. Chiang Mai’s oldest temple is Wat Chiang Man which dates back to 1296 and is known for its two Buddha images, one made of the stone and the other made from crystal. Almost as old, Wat Phra Singh in the centre of town contains a 1,500 year old Buddha image and another wat, Wat Chedi Luang, holds the ruins of a huge chedi or stupa that collapsed in an earthquake in 1545.

The Chiang Mai National Museum has an extensive collection of Buddha images and northern Thai handicrafts. Another museum is the Tribal Museum which houses a good display of hill tribe textiles, jewelery, musical instruments, weapons and other artefacts. Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Center takes the visitor on an engaging journey in the past. The Three Kings Monument, situated right in front of the building, commemorates the three kings of the thirteenth century. The kings selected the site for the ‘new city’ of Chiang Mai. The Night Bazaar keeps Chiang Mai’s centre busy after hours, and there is plenty of late shopping and eating.

Around 15km east of Chiang Mai is Bo Sang, also known as the Umbrella Village, where handmade paper umbrellas and many other hill tribe handicrafts are sold. Also worth seeing is the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre where attractions include elephant rides, elephant bathing and an elephant exhibition. Thailand’s highest peak, Doi Inthanon, is set in a large national park offering some pleasant walks among the mountain scenery of forests and waterfalls and a popular site for birdwatchers.

So, if you are to explore Thailand to its fullest, just do not forget to include this wonderful historic city in your itenary.

Temples in Bangkok

Bangkok is full of enigmatic temples (called ‘wats’) that depict the rich and royal culture of the country. The architecture is typically Buddhist and very very awe inspiring. It indeed is a must see if you are planning to visit Bangkok.

The Wat Phra Kaew or the Emerald Buddha is a favorite amongst both tourists and the locals. Located in the heart of the city, it enshrines the highly breath taking sculpture of Lord Buddha carved out from a single block of Jade!

Wat Mahathat: it is the centre of meditation and Buddhism. People come here in search of peace and get completely enthralled by the popular Vipassana Meditation treatment offered here. The classes conducted here are in both Thai and English.

Wat Traimit: this is the famous temple of Golden Budhha, where the worlds largest Golden seated Buddha, measuring approximately 5 meters and weighing five and a half tones, is placed!

Wat Phu Khao Thong:a huge yellow hill crowned temple with a gleaming 58 feet golden chedi is an unusual sight. It houses Lord Buddha’s relics and also serves as the capitals’ crematorium.

For those who are more religiously inclined, the list of temples does not end here. But make sure to visit them in the morning as it is less crowded then. Most of these temples close down after 6pm. Lastly, dress decently so as not to cause annoyance to the Buddhist community.

Religion of Thailand

Thailand is a land of mixed cultures. People are given full freedom to pursue whichever religion they believe in. Infact religion plays a pivotal role in every Thai’s life. It is the building block of their social lives.

Out of the estimated 55 million Thaïs, 95% are true followers of Buddhism and believe in the cycle of birth and rebirth. About 4% are Muslims, who reside mostly in the southern parts like Narathiwat, yala, Pattani and Satun. They form the biggest of the minority community.

Thailand also has approximately 0.5% Christians and about that many Hindus, Sikhs and other religions combined. The King and the Thai government have given complete freedom to everyone to follow his/her own faith. In fact a violation of this rule is considered disrespect to the Majesty.

Thus, it can be rightly said that Thailand believes in the motto “Unity In Diversity” and even with so many people following different religions, it has always stood as one in complete peace and harmony.