6 Things to Know Before Visiting Wat Phra Kaew Bangkok

The Emerald Buddha, which is placed in Wat Phra Kaew, is highly respected in the whole of the country. It is even thought to be the protector of Thailand. The following article lists out 6 things which one should know before planning a trip to the Wat Phra Kaew (Bangkok) so that you have an enriching and wholesome experience.

The construction of Wat Phra Kaew was completed in the year 1784. A large number of buildings lie on the premises of the Grand Palace. The shrine of Wat Phra Kaew lies there, and the total area is about 234 acres. Wat Phra Kaew precinct has more than 100 buildings and has a history which is more than 200 years old. There is a lot of experimentation when it comes to architecture, and the design is particularly unique. The style of architecture followed in Wat Phra Kaew is called the Rattanakosin Style (or the old Bangkok style). The polished roof comprises of polished tiles with shades of green and orange. There are pillars which have a lot of mosaic-like work dine on them along with support pieces made of shiny marble. All of this was made in the 18^th century. The main idol of Emerald Buddha is poised on an altar. The altar is elevated high above the ground and is surrounded by colossal decorative pieces.

Originally the setup’s base was not present there and was added by a king named Rama, the Third. On the sides of the main image, there are two images of Buddha, which are said to represent the two kings of the Chakri dynasty. What leaves visitors in awe is the fact that no matter the age, the temple still retains its magnificence and beauty, and the structure still retains the original design.

The Emerald Buddha is a dark green coloured figure statue, which is carved in an upright form. The dimensions of the idol are 26 inches and 19 inches, length and breadth respectively. This idol is carved right out of a single piece of jade stone. The sculpting resembles that of the Lanna school of North Thailand. The Buddha has a meditating look. The posture of Emerald Buddha is that of a Yogi. He is shown sitting on his pedestal, with his legs crossed in ‘Sukhasana,’ as if he is engrossed in deep meditation.

The headgear of the Lord is ornately decorated. The body is draped over with a golden coloured cloak, which is intricately decorated to increase the charm of the idol. The idol can only be touched by the Thai King and his Crown Prince, and no one else. The statue’s cloak is changed thrice in one year, per Thailand three official seasons - hot, cool, and wet. The king performs this ritual of changing the cloak. It is thought to be a process which brings good fortune to the whole of the country.

The dresses are also different according to different seasons. There are many theories regarding the origin of the statue. Apart from the claims of the statue being originated in northern India, there have been claims of it being from the island country of Sri Lanka too. No historians have been allowed to do investigation on the statue. Due to which no scientific fact is out till now.

When the sun sets out, the frame of Wat Phra Kaew, which houses the Emerald Buddha, is lavishly lighted in golden colours with bluish-purple background. Buddhist monks, pilgrims, and visitors flock from all over the world for this site. In continuance with the discussion regarding statue’s origin being from Patna, India, it is said that the statue might have been taken to Sri Lanka from there to protect it during a civil war which had broken out there. This statue and the things associated with it were so important that Burmese King Anuruth had even sent ships and ambassadors to the Sri Lankan lands. The mission was to request and bring Buddhist scriptures, along with the statue of the Emerald Buddha. His motive behind this was to promote Buddhism in his country. The idol was taken away to various places until it was found to be in the custody of King Chiang Rai from Chiang Rai province of Thailand. From there it was later found out and put to its modern-day place.

From the late 1700s to early 1900s, there was a practice followed, whereby the Emerald Buddha from Wat Phra Kaew had to be removed from the temple. And it had to be paraded through the streets of the city of Bangkok. This was believed to have the potential to relieve the general population from the ill effects of epidemics & calamities. Later on, the practice was discontinued, when King Rama, the Fourth started ruling, as it could damage the Lord’s idol. Also, this was the time when scientific temperament was developing in the eastern regions of the world. The king said the cause of diseases or epidemics are due to germs only, and not by displeasure to the Buddha, or any evil spirits of sorts.

Another major ritual is the costume change ritual of deity. The king cleans and wipes off any dust which might have gotten on the image himself. And chants prayers for the deity as his attendant climbs up to change the garment of the Lord. The other two sets of garments which are not in use are kept on display so that the visitors can have a look at them too. The Thai King’s Coronation, which is also a very important event for the country, is dependent on the king’s visit to the shrine of Wat Phra Kaew.

As mentioned earlier, this shrine of the Emerald Buddha is considered to be one of the most important and respected ones in the whole country. The dress code is strictly enforced in the premises of the Wat Phra Kaew. What’s interesting is that tourists meet a lot of vendors and sellers on the outside of the temple. They try to convince them and sell them local printed (for example “I Love Thailand”) type t-shirts and other such merchandise, knowing that it won’t be allowed inside the precinct, that too at inflated prices. Often tourists get conned for most of the times, and then they get to know that the accessories & clothing attire they just bought, isn’t even allowed to be worn due to the strict dress code.

* The cloth should cover the knees & shoulders.

* The cloth should not be body-hugging, transparent, or tight.

* Stretch pants, yoga pants, sleeveless tops are not allowed.

* Torn styled clothing, clothes depicting any religious them, clothes with any death-related themes are not allowed.

* If there is any Buddhist or Hindu tattoo on one’s body, it has to be covered.

* Men can wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts with shoes. For women, long skirts can be a good option.

* Visitors who do not adhere to the dress code guidelines are not allowed inside the precinct. If by chance one is not compliant with the dress code, there are options of renting clothes and accessories, outside the temple near the entry area. It is compulsory to remove shoes before entering the temple as a mark of respect to the deity.

* Also, it is advised to tuck the feet behind the body while facing the deity for prayers, as extending the feet in front might be considered offensive.

* One should not smoke cigarettes or chew gum.

* One should not be seen eating anything.

* One should not be seen wearing accessories like sunglasses or hats or headphones.

* One should be conscious of the fact that their back should not face the image of the Lord, and neither should one’s feet be pointed towards him as that is highly disrespectful.

Not just the temple or the idol, there is a lot more to see than the Wat Phra Kaew has to offer to its visitors. There are a large number of delectable and rare artefacts which one gets to see only in this precinct.

There are gardens and pave walks where visitors can relax under the shade of trees after their tiring hours of travel. There is a particular bronze statue called The Healer, located on the west of the temple. It is a black colour statue of a doctor, and the visitors who are praying for their sick loved ones offer flowers near it.

Then there are elephant sculptures lined in the premise. What’s interesting is that the heads of these elephants are shiny. The back story behind this is that it is believed that rubbing the heads of these elephants brings good-luck. This is why the heads have turned so shiny by repetitive rubbing over the years. Then there’s another belief that children should circle these elephant statues three times, as it is supposed to give them strength.

What makes the place even more special, is the presence of beautiful murals all over. The murals of Wat Phra Kaew, tell the tales of Jataka, Ramayana, etc. There is a long series of murals which forms the depiction of Ramakian (which is the Thai version of the Hindu epic, Ramayana). These stories have references to the origin of the world and have depictions of the monkey demigod Hanuman, who was the king and general of his army.

Then there is a model of Angkor Wat inside the premise as well! Angkor Wat is a shrine situated in Cambodia. Legends say that King Mongkut planned to disassemble the Cambodia shrine and bring it to Bangkok. But since that wasn’t feasible, he commissioned the construction of a model of Angkor Wat instead. Apart from this, there is a library too. The library has got beautiful pavilions which contain multiple sacred texts and scriptures. It is worth noting that a fire damaged the original library which was a place in Wat Phra Kaew, and this is just a recreated version of it.

The shrine of Wat Phra Kaew is located on the premise of the Grand Palace of Bangkok. The cheapest way to get to this place is by taking river taxis. You can have a good enjoyable time on the boats too. It is not difficult to find which way to go, as most people are tourists and are heading to the same place as everyone else. So, in case of any problem, a bit of asking around, or merely following the crowd could prove to be helpful.

However, it is advised that the visitors should stay prepared beforehand, by gathering all information well in advance before actually setting off for their day excursion to Wat Phra Kaew. It is always good to be prepared while travelling to unknown places. There is connectivity by the road too, but the concern here is that unless you are with a local, taxi drivers will manipulate and overcharge you. In such a situation, one can take help from the internet to stay informed about routes and fares to call the bluff of taxi drivers, if any.

The premises of Wat Phra Kaew are open to the general public on all days. Photography in and around the premise is allowed, but one cannot click pictures inside the main temple area. The visiting hours are 8:30 hours to 15:30 hours, and the ticket office also closes at 15:30 hours. There is an entry fee applies to get a ticket for entry to the Grand Palace, and that ticket includes entry to the Wat Phra Kaew as well. The price of the entry ticket is 500 Baht (around 16-17 US Dollars) for foreigner visitors.

These were the six major things one should know before visiting Wat Phra Kaew Bangkok. You can collate all the information you need to finalize your trip to make it a pleasant, hassle-free, safe and unforgettable one to cherish and preserve in your memory.