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HUGE BUDDHA STATUE AT THE WAT INDHARAVIHARN TEMPLE.

This Temple is also called the Wat Indharavihan Temple.

Wat Indharaviharn is famous for its enormous standing Buddha image.

The massive standing Buddha which is called Luang Pho To or "Phra Si Ariyamettrai" is 32 metres ( 105 foot) high and 10 metres (33 foot) wide.

Construction of the Buddha image started in 1867 during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV) and it took 60 years for it to be completed in 1927. The image is made of brick and stucco. Ajon Toh, the then Abbott of the temple was the inspiration to build it. He died at the foot of the image in 1871 when it was being built. A gilded bust of the Abbott is enshrined at the temple entrance and stairways at the sides to the back behind the statue provides access for devotees to paste gold leaf on the statue. In 1982 during 200th anniversary of the establishment of Bangkok city the image was refurbished and fitted with Italian golden mosaic tiles.

This Buddha image is holding an alms bowl that monks still use today when they go out in the streets early morning to receive food from lay people. Devotees who visit the temple for worship offer mackerel, a boiled egg and a garland of flowers which they place with reverence at the foot of the Buddha image!!

Yant embossed inscription on Takrut.***

A TAKRUT is rolled up metal foil that is inscribed with yants. A Yant is a sacred geometry design incorporating Buddhist psalms and magical formulas that invoke various elements and powers of protection and various blessings. The Buddhist psalms written within and around these yant are know in Thai language as "kata". A kata is what we might call in the West a "Mantra", the word Mantra is a Sanskrit word meaning "prayer”. The casting of a magic spell is similar to the recitation of a Mantra in the sense that the concept of invocation / evocation is inflected in order to achieve a certain result. The ancient tradition of tattooing a sacred yant is probably at least one to two thousand years old. The oldest definite historical evidence of sak yant being practised in Thailand dates back to around the times of King Naresuan Maharaj, around the time that the kingdom of Ayutthaya was still in its golden age. The warriors were tattooed with Yant and also wore "Suea yant" (yant shirts, that had protective designs intended to ward off the blows of sharp weapons inscribed all over the surface). The Yant designs themselves are not the only element necessary to enable the magic power believed to be contained within these sacred geometrical designs. Many Buddhists believe in the power of the Yant. Some Yants are meant to protect against physical harm (Kong Grapan Yant) whilst others are meant to bring good luck (Maettha Yant).

Since the time of King Naresuan (สมเด็จพระนเรศวรมหาราช), Thai soldiers have sought protection from the power of sak yant and the wearing of amulets. In the Korean, Vietnam and second world wars, Thai soldiers were nicknamed “tahaan pee” (Thai: ทหารผี) or "ghost soldiers" by the allied forces, because of their sak yant tattoos and amulets.

THE INDRAVIHARN TEMPLE

photo WAT INDRA M_zpsy4s09urf.jpg

The picture in the Temple and at the top of each Yantra (Takrut) sheet shows Somdej Toh, (Somdej Too) (Somdet To) who is also known as Phra Buddhacharn Phomarangsi or Somdet Phra Buddhacarya, he is also known as Somday Toh.

Somdej Toh is one of Thailands most famous and revered Monks.

photo WAT INDRA D_zpsr2osxbrc.jpg

At the top of each Yantra (Takrut) sheet shows Somdej Toh, (Somdej Too) (Somdet To) who is also known as Phra Buddhacharn Phomarangsi or Somdet Phra Buddhacarya, he is also known as Somday Toh.

Somdej Toh is one of Thailands most famous and revered Monks.