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They say that if you only see one temple in Thailand,
Doi Suthep is the one to see. Set on a mountain plateau
overlooking the city of Chiang Mai, this site is steeped
in history and religious significance. It's also visually
stunning. Granted, if you're in Chiang Mai, odds are
good that you stumbled upon at least 3 temples on
your morning bottled-water run to the Family Mart.
Believe me though, this is a temple that lives up
to the hype, scenically, spiritually, and even pop-culturally
(the opening to Rambo 3 was filmed on the temple steps).
A 40 Baht songtaew from the city centre takes you
up the winding mountain road where Doi Suthep lies
1676 metres above Chiang Mai. The last dozen or so
must be trekked on foot, up the 306-step staircase
with carved dragon handrails and cool forests on either
side. Of course, lazy sightseers can always opt for
the 20baht cable car. While the base of the steps
is swimming with chatty local vendors peddling paintings,
carvings, fruit and Fanta, the temple itself is big
enough to allow even the largest crowd of tourists
some breathing space.
The history of the temple is a tale of monks, kings,
elephants and relics. According to legend, a 14th
century monk from Sukhothai found a relic from Buddha,
and the Lanna King Keu Naone offered to enshrine the
piece. The relic was placed on the back of a white
elephant, a sacred symbol. He carried the relic up
the mountain, stopped on the site where the temple
stands today, and died. The temple was constructed
in 1383, with a statue honouring the white elephant
inside the front gate.
Your ticket (30 Baht) allows free roam of the temple
grounds, though tour guides are plentiful and very
helpful. Amidst Buddhist statues, jackfruit trees,
and rows of metal bells (rung constantly by curious
children, despite the signs warning visitors not to
push the bells), the outer area is cool and spaceous,
with plenty of gilded doors and ornamental carving
to admire.
The bookshop and cafes allow visitors a chance to
rest their feet (and cameras). It's also a chance
to take in the views of the evergreen hills and exotic
birds which make up the 260 square kilometres of Doi
Suthep National Park. On the other side of the entrance
gate, a lookout point offers an impressive view of
sprawling Chiang Mai and the distant Ping river.
The middle of the temple is the more sacred cloister
area, and visitors can remove their shoes and admire
the golden Lanna-style Chedi, standing 79 feet high
and housing the famous relic of Buddha. Ornametal
umbrellas and Buddha statues, all gold, stand around
the chedi. The surrounding walls are painted with
murals depicting the life of Buddha. If you have the
fortune of witnessing this sight on a clear sunny
day, it's easy to get lost in a trance with this shining
gold scene. This area is considered to be one of the
holiest in Thailand, and makes the trip up the mountain
well worthwhile.
Those in search of a spiritual stay in Chiang Mai
can book into Doi Suthep's International Buddhism
Centre and stay in the temple itself, finding meditative
peace in the natural and spiritual beauty in the temple
and its surroundings. The website provides further
information at http://www.fivethousandyears.org/
Anne Merritt
is Canadian and has an English Literature degree.
She has worked as a journalist for a university newspaper.
She is currently living in Ayutthaya as an ESL teacher
and is sharing her experience of Thailand with KhaoSanRoad.com.
Other articles by Anne Merritt:
Crocodile
Rockin' in Samut Prakarn - Lopburi
Monkey Festival - Saraburi
Sunflower Fields - Koh
Tao: Island Travel at a Turtle's Pace - Doi
Suthep: Exploring Chiang Mai's Spiritual Side
- Full
Moon Party - The
Life of Pai – Northern Thailand's Sweetest Find
- Sister's
are Doing it for Themselves - Coming
Together on Koh Samet - So
you want to teach in Thailand? - Halong
Bay: Vietnam's Jewel on the Water - Zen
and the Art of Marketplace Haggling - Laos
Lifts Us Up Where We Belong - Kuala
Lumpur: Off the Backpacker Route and Into the Big
City
- Water
Water Everywhere - the Songkran Festival Explained
-
Da Lat's Easy Riders - Swimming
in Sihanoukville - Thailand
Books for Travellers; a KSR Guide to the Backpackers'
Favourites - Luang
Prabang - Volunteering
with Elephants - Seeing
Kanchanaburi through the Eye of the Tiger -
Hoi An - Strolling Through Vietnam's Prettiest Colonial
Town - Slowly
down the Mekong - Traveling
as a Couple; Some Tips in Thailand - The
Vegetarian's Guide to Thai Food
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