Thailand is a very popular destination among Russians. I have a lot of friends who have already been there. Have you been to this Temple?
The Sanctuary of Truth (also called Wang Boran and Prasat Mai) is a 105-meter wooden temple designed to showcase contemporary religious art currently under construction in Pattaya. Construction was initiated and funded by Lek Viriyaphant, an eccentric Thai millionaire and patron of culture.
The temple, which began construction in 1981, is built in the style of ancient Khmer architecture, like that seen in Angkor, and is completely covered with hand-carved wooden sculptures. It has four groups representing images related to Buddhist and Hindu religions and mythologies in Cambodia, China, India and Thailand, respectively.
According to the official website, the purpose of the temple is to use art and culture as “a reflection of an oriental vision of the world, ancient knowledge and oriental philosophy. In this complex, visitors will come to understand the life of past generations, human responsibility, the fundamental philosophical principles of the life cycle, relationship with the universe and the main goal of life to achieve Utopia. The entrance fee to the Temple of Truth is THB 500 per person (for both Thai citizens and foreigners).
This one of a kind creation is located in the north of Pattaya, on a secluded peninsula. The temple is completely different from traditional Buddhist buildings, and is made entirely of precious woods - teak, mahogany, golden teak. The Temple is being built without a single nail, an eclecticism of architectural styles - Thai, Khmer, Indian and Cambodian - is involved in its creation. The walls are adorned with stunning hand-carvings inspired by Thai and Indian mythological epics. The temple is recognized as the tallest wooden structure in the world, its height with a spire is 105 meters.
Construction began in 1981 and is still ongoing. There is very little information about the Temple, it is often contradictory and sometimes even fantastic. For example, there is a legend that at the beginning of construction, astorologists predicted that the founder of the project should die as soon as the construction is completed, and that is why the work on finishing the temple is not being deliberately completed, but this version, of course, has no official confirmation.
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Nevertheless, the temple, unique in its design, is already available to visitors and is strongly recommended for inspection - the most discerning connoisseurs of architectural beauty and professional photographers will not be disappointed.
When Thai millionaire Prapai Viriyapan, not indifferent to art in general and cultural monuments in particular, came up with the initiative to build a unique wooden temple on the shores of the Gulf of Thailand in the northern part of Pattaya, he could not even imagine that the process would drag on for many decades. However, if you believe the legend, the 67-year-old businessman had every reason to turn the building into a classic long-term construction.
They say that the millionaire was guessed that he was destined to die on the very day when the last wooden element took its place in the exquisite construction of the Temple of Truth he had conceived. But either the visionaries were let down by their instincts, or the prediction was misinterpreted, and the construction of a rare structure, begun in 1981, continues to this day, while the ideological inspirer and sponsor of the project left this world in 2000, 19 years after the start of construction …
According to another, alternative version, the prediction did not refer to the creator of the temple, but to the reigning king of Thailand Rama IX, which is why the temple becomes wider and higher day by day, and the volume of construction is growing - Thais treat the ruler with great sympathy and respect and heartily wishes him longevity. The completion of the construction of the Temple of Truth, also called Wang Boran, is tentatively scheduled for 2025.
This is theoretically, but in fact, the construction threatens to drag on for a much longer period, because in the process of building new parts of the temple, the old, long-rebuilt ones, come into a deplorable state and begin to desperately need restoration.
What is this temple and what is its purpose? The construction of wonderful beauty is being built exclusively from wooden parts, without the use of nails. The most valuable, beautiful, durable and most adapted to the peculiarities of the local climate are selected for construction. Hundreds of skilled carvers work tirelessly year after year on the delicate openwork carvings on golden teak and mahogany. The architectural style of the building refers to the ancient Khmer architecture.
The view of the facades of the Temple of Truth, which rises to a height of 105 meters, fascinates no less than the interior decoration. Numerous handmade decorative elements reproduce the stories of mythologies of different states. A temple of several religions, Wang Boran is divided into four parts, each of which is devoted to the religious, philosophical and cultural traditions of four countries - Thailand, India, China and Cambodia.
The statues made of wood demonstrate the victory of wisdom over ignorance and call for love, kindness and life in harmony. There is not a single insignificant detail in the rich decoration - every sculpture, every element is full of symbolism and carries a deep meaning. Earth, Sky, Sun, Moon, Stars and Mother and Father are the seven creators of humanity to whom we should be grateful for everything we have. The creators of the temple are convinced that within the walls of this holy place - the focus of philosophical and religious truth - one can be filled with wisdom and cognize the meaning of faith.
The Temple of Truth was created according to the ancient technology of erecting Thai buildings, and every square centimeter of it is covered with carved wood. All connections without a single nail. The idea behind the construction of this sanctuary was the use of art and culture as a reflection of the old vision of the Earth, the knowledge of the ancestors, and Eastern philosophy. This is a truly unusual building, which the local people call "Prasath Satya-thaam", which in translation into Russian sounds like "The Sanctuary of Truth" or "Temple of Truth".
This place is still little known to most tourists, but for many reasons it really deserves a visit. If, at first glance, the silhouette of the building reminds of the traditional Thai style, then, looking at it, you notice that the sanctuary gracefully reflects three more main artistic and philosophical movements that have passed through the history of this country. This is the huge influence of the Brahman, Khmer and Chinese civilizations.
But the truly unique character of this giant pavilion (probably the largest in the world) comes from the fact that it is built almost entirely of teak. Teak is a valuable reddish-brown material, extremely durable wood that is too tough for termites and other insect pests. Other types of valuable timber were also used here, which were specially imported from neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia.
For more than twenty years, teams of sculptors and artisans (250 people) were constantly on site and, replacing each other, worked on the creation of this temple. And yet, in fact, the sanctuary has not yet been completely completed - it will take another ten to fifteen years to complete all the work. To a greater extent, these are internal works, therefore, you need to be prepared for the fact that some photos (even with a flash), due to insufficient lighting, will come out a little washed out, if you want to photograph elements of the interior of the temple somewhere in its "dark" depth …
The architectural ensemble of the Temple of Truth is built in the form of a cross, with a central spire that rises 105 meters into the sky and majestically adorns the six-level roof. The roofs are located over four naves (rooms), which are clearly oriented to the four cardinal points. At the top of the central spire will be an equestrian statue of Kalki, the last avatar of Vishnu, hailed by the Buddha of the modern era. The other four spiers, one above each nave, represent the four elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.
There are almost as many sculptures and ornaments inside the temple as there are outside. Take a closer look: one statue may be hiding a second, or even several others. This is a picture of "crazy overpopulation", and it seems that when the visitor gazes, as he moves in or around the temple, new supernatural beings may suddenly appear that did not seem to be here. Impressions grow in tenfold proportions. Each of the naves (rooms) is expressed in one of four basic styles.
The architecture of the south wing is dominated by Khmer character and here you can admire statues depicting episodes from the life of Krishna. Here you can also see the statues of the gods of the seven "celestial bodies", which gave the name to the days of the week (in Sanskrit, and therefore in Thai): Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the Sun.
The western wing of the Temple of Truth is majestically crowned by the sculpture of Brahma, the four-headed creator god, and Erawan, the three-headed elephant, who was carrying Indra, the king of the gods. The monumental architecture of this wing is reminiscent of Hindu temples, while the northern wing is decorated with typical Chinese statues and motifs, providing a prominent place for the image of the gracious Bodhisattva.
The nave of the eastern pediment is considered the main one, as it was created under the influence of Thai tradition. It depicts plots on the theme of the family as the basis of society and spirituality, and a statue of the goddess Durga in the role of 'Mahish Asura Mardini', that is, the one who kills the buffalo demon, symbolizing ignorance in physical and mental suffering.
Approaching the Holy of Holies (which symbolizes the throne of Mankind), there is a feeling that the columns with a height of 26 meters, located nearby, begin to float in the air and lose their vaults under the architectural rosettes. At the same time, everything around is saturated with the design of fairy-tale characters, similar to Gothic gargoyles and dragons.
Adds magic and the location chosen for the construction of the Temple of Truth: this palace-sanctuary is erected on a peninsula - a spit protruding into the sea. It is "almost an island" as the channel that connects the land to the bay has been dug from the rear, thus giving the impression that the peninsula is more surrounded by water than land. The channel itself is cut by an isthmus with an operating bridge. The territory is surrounded by a crenellated wall, quite massive, but hollow in some places.
Arriving at the main entrance, it is advisable to "identify the area" by examining the layout available there. The Sanctuary of Truth is located a few hundred meters below. It can be easily seen from the top deck. This terrace offers a very beautiful view, so do not forget to take a photo of it as a souvenir.
As for the cost of entry. 500 baht may seem like an exorbitant price to pay for "under-construction", but this is because the successors of Khun Lek, who want to fill the treasury to finance the work, simply want to avoid too much influx of visitors, which will entail a slowdown in the construction process. An English speaking tour guide can be found on site, but you will have to try to adapt to their peculiar English.
The “Sanctuary of Truth” temple promotes the point of view that a civilized society should cultivate religious and philosophical truths. Idea - humanity cannot exist without 7 creators - Heaven, Earth, Mother, Father, Moon, Sun and Stars. Their sculptures adorn the interior of the temple.
At the top of the 4 spiers of the temple, there are 4 elements, which, according to Eastern philosophy, represent the ideal system of the world:
1.wood sculpture of a celestial body - Virgo holding a lotus flower and symbolizing the basis of religions, the core of the world, 2.a wooden sculpture of a celestial body holding a child and representing life giving life, 3.the wooden sculpture of a celestial body holding a book depicts the continuation of immortal philosophy, 4. sculpture of a celestial body with a dove on his hand, symbolizes peace.
At the highest point of the central spire of Kalaki, a horse is installed, which is the symbol of Pra Sri Ariametrai.
Pra Sri Ariametray was the last Bodhisattva who achieved enlightenment in the world and became the fifth Buddha in the era of Bradha, that is, in the present era.
The creators of the temple, as it were, call on people to recognize the seven creators and 4 elements that will lead to an ideal world for each individual and the whole world. The steps that humanity must go through in order to achieve such an ideal world are in the struggle between good and evil, including in the internal struggle of individual egoistic needs. The creator of the artwork depicts this in woodcarving.
The wooden sculpture on the pediment depicts Mahisha Sura Mardini, an episode of Turaga Defeating Mahingsa, symbolizing ignorance conquered by wisdom. A wooden sculpture in the front pediment depicts parents as creators of life for posterity. Parental love is pure and selfless. She is like water in a clear stream that refreshes the heart and soul. The kindness of father and mother is sometimes greater than the ocean and the sky.
Carved image from Krishnavatara, Vishna's 8th reincarnation. It includes Krsna on the Vardhana cow, Krishna on the head of the Naga, Krishna and the cowherd men, and Krishna with Radha. In the epic Mahabharta, which tells the story of the struggle between good and evil in the Kurakastera plain, Krishna led the chariot of King Pandava, the representative of those who fought against evil. And King Kaurava was able to understand and feel the cycle of birth and death. This became the main sermon of Vishnu and one of the most famous treatises in Hinduism.
Wooden sculptures represent the gods of the planets. These planets are placed in orbits in the sky. They affect all people and, in general, the course of life.
The sun represents honor and social status
The moon represents honor and social status
Mars represents bravery and industry
Mercury represents kindness
Jupiter represents wisdom
Venus represents wealth
Saturn represents misery and suffering