Chaithararam Temple, also known as Wat Chalong, Phuket – beauty, to which got mass tourism. I do not know about you, but for me important to from visiting buddhist sights there was a sense of exclusivity, communion with something special, sublime. It’s like here in Russia sometimes you go to Temple – well, shop-shop, completely ads and timetables with price tags. And in the other you want to stand still and dissolve in the atmosphere to describe which is not enough words. Wat chalong despite his age, scale, splendor and amazing architecture left about imagine the impression of a beautiful souvenir box. See – yes interesting. Take pictures, take a walk on the territory – also not bad, but to come back here again to push with tourists for convenient angle and shadow – no longer want.
The content of the article
- 1 Wat Chalong
- 2 Historical background
- 3 Information to visit
- 4 On the map
Wat chalong
Wat Chalong in Phuket (Wat Chalong), I think it’s more tourist attraction than buddhist. People here brought in packs, which is not surprising – the temple is included in the packages sightseeing tours of all existing travel agencies of Phuket. So that the visit does not turn into a usual crowd unloading tourists for money, they are told the procedure for visiting the temple, with all these candles and incense sticks. There buy it, set it on fire, stick it in here, give it a present, and if bought a bag of live fish or fish food at the entrance – come have fun at the pond. And people like it and you can understand it – exotic same
Wat Chalong was built according to the canons of Buddhist temple building: in a large area there are several buildings, each of which your name and destination you will forget in five minutes after they tell you about them. Is that except crematorium and the main building, where, by the way, there is no simple access mortals, and the monks are not always allowed. What immediately rushes into eyes – the territory of Chalong temple in Phuket is much more than that I used to see usually. Large spaces, spacious parking, good pavement, no puddles for you, dirt and even gravel.
Before entering the market
There are a lot of different buildings
Wat Chalong in Phuket
Inside Wat Chalong
In the courtyard of Wat Chalong there is a round brick stove. elongated shape – a traditional structure in any Chinese temple, on which scary faces are usually still painted. I used to think that they are needed for burning temple debris, such as sticks and other tinsel, but it turns out they are designed to scare evil spirits. The Chinese tradition, by the way, is to blow up firecrackers in order to the spirits ran away.
In Chalong, especially for tourists (I think so, because in In many other churches, these stoves were usually silent) all day with a certain interval.
That same firecracker stove, very loud!
Stupa with the relics of the Buddha
Half of the temple is occupied by the market
There are several ponds near the temple. If you walk, then on big you will surely stumble. On the other side are cute thai cottages. But if from this pond go to neighboring, it is smaller and behind the fence, there will be around the pond running and cycling paths. Since there is no shadow, then there is a day nothing to do, but in the morning and in the evenings you can play sports.
Also on the road between the temple and the bike paths will be quite good. cafe, where you can eat if you get hungry. Name in thai so I will not tell you. The walls are brick-colored outside, around the greens. Works from 8 to 21.
History reference
Reliable information about the creators and the exact date of foundation of the temple Wat Chalong has not yet been discovered. Serious historians keep silence, and the majority of open sources on the Internet voiced year 1837, when in documents and maps come across mention of the temple, but the fact is – it already existed by that time. AT In 1846, Wat Chalong was reconstructed and received status Royal and second name – Wat Chayyatararam. On the cards Google, this temple is now also signed by two toponyms: Chaithararam Temple and Wat Chalong. Next in the history of the temple There is a date – 1876.
As I understand it, at the dawn of its heyday, and not one hundred years Phuket lived by mining tin. Thais lacked their own hands, so that they were loyal to constantly arriving migrants from China, which over time almost crowded out the indigenous people (Far East, you are more careful with these guys). Well, in In 1876, the Chinese rebelled, demanding better working conditions and salary increases, and it came to the point that local people had to to escape behind the fence of Chalong, while the evil laborers burned down their huts and robbed the courtyards. The abbot of the temple of Luang Pho than played the role peacemaker. With the help of the male population, he is where the word, and where power helped to restore peace and order in Phuket.
In 1999, from the Government of Sri Lanka (the main supplier of the relics of the Buddha, judging by the stories of Thai temples) Wat Chalong received a buddhist shrine – the bone of the Buddha. What bone and what It was Buddha – I did not understand, but for a person who has no other attitudes towards Buddhism, besides curiosity, is not obligatory knowledge. Bones of the Buddha, as you know, just can not lie, therefore, in 2001, it was solemnly walled up in the newly built stupas of Pra Mahathat.
Information to visit
Wat Chalong is open from dawn to dusk. When visiting the temple Be sure to comply with the dress code “closed shoulders and knees”, and entering the premises to remove shoes – you can only walk barefoot, although no one will be scolded for socks.
In front of the gates of the temple there is a mass of shops selling souvenirs and offerings to monks – all this can be bought at online convenience stores Phuket Town, there it will be much cheaper, even if less choice.
Phuket City Tour →
This temple is often visited as part of a sightseeing tour of island. Quite convenient, you can go around many places at once. day.
If you decide to release small fish in a pond, people recommend do it in the thickets of reeds, away from the main staircase, where the fish were stunned by the food that was constantly pouring on their heads and could easily eat fry.
Photographed, standing with his back to the Buddha or against the background of the crematorium, it is not necessary – it is disrespectful and, in general, to great misfortune.
On the map
From the beaches of Karon and Kata to Wat Chalong every 30 minutes leaves bus, the ticket price is about 40 baht per person, and the most comfortable hours for visiting the temple – in the morning and before lunch.
Life hacking 1 – how to buy a good insurance
Choosing insurance is now unrealistically difficult, therefore, to help everyone travelers, I make a rating. To do this, constantly monitor forums, I study insurance contracts and use insurance by myself.
Insurance Rating
Life hacking 2 – how to find a hotel 20% cheaper
First, choose a hotel on Booking. They have a good base offers, but the prices are NOT the best! The same hotel is often possible find 20% cheaper in other systems through the RoomGuru service.
Discount hotels
