Wat Phra Kaeo & Wat Mahathat
Wat Phra Kaeo
Situated at Mu 10, Tambon Phraek Si Racha, which is about 23 kilometres
off the provincial town of Chai Nat, Wat Phra Kaeo is another ancient temple housing
a beautiful square-based stupa. Within the temple ground also houses
a high stupa in a harmonious blend of the Lawo and late Dvaravati styles,
as well as a relic chamber with a recessed base in the Sukhothai
and Sri Vijaya styles. In front of the stupa stands a Buddha image hall known
as Wihan Luangpho Chai, where a delicately carved sandstone lintel
was found at the back of the image. This lintel depicts an image
of the God Indra riding the elephant named Erawan inside
a stylized shelter in a distinctive Khmer style, which dates back to more than 1,000 years ago.
It is believed that at the decline of the Khmer empire,
someone must have taken this artefact from somewhere and carved
the Buddha image out of it. However, the head of the elephant is overturned,
its trunk pointing upward, as a riddle that in order to be enlightened like the Lord Buddha
“one must overcome greed, hatred, and ignorance to find true happiness.”
Wat Mahathat
This is an old temple of Mueang Phraek or Mueang San which was
an ancient city dating back to the Dvaravati period. Sankhaburi had been also
an important fort town of the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya Kingdoms.
It is located by the Noi River, 20 kilometres southeast
of Chainat along Route No. 340. The temple houses ruined chapels
with seated Buddha images and a distinguish Lop Buri style chedi with
a fluted spire like the petal of a star apple
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