Wat Bang Oi Chang ( th, วัดบางอ้อยช้าง, ) is an ancient temple is located rim
Khlong Bangkok Noi
250px, Khlong Bangkok Noi near Wat Sri Sudaram
Khlong Bangkok Noi ( th, คลองบางกอกน้อย, ; lit 'Small Bangkok Canal') is a '' khlong'' (คลอง; canal) in Bangkok; its name is the origin of the name Bangkok Noi Dis ...
in the area of
Bang Kruai District
Bang Kruai ( th, บางกรวย, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in the southern part of Nonthaburi province, central Thailand.
History
The district was created in 1904 and named Bang Yai. Due to its size it was difficult to administer, an ...
,
Nonthaburi Province, on the
outskirts of Bangkok.
Its name meaning "place of canes for elephants temple". Because its location are the communities whose duties used to supply elephant food, normally sugar-canes and other plants to the royal elephants during
Ayutthaya period
The Ayutthaya Kingdom (; th, อยุธยา, , IAST: or , ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is conside ...
. In addition, it was a place where densely grown
wodier trees (Oi Chang in Thai) sprouts, hence the name "Bang Oi Chang". At that time, people used the wodier tree bark for elephants. They pounded the bark until soft. The soft bark was then put over the backs of each battle elephant, beneath the howdah. It helped protect the elephant's skin from rubbing directly against the seat.
[
This temple is assumed to have been built in the late Ayutthaya period around 1761 by local people. During the war with Burma in the King ]Taksin
King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew dialect, Teochew: Dên ...
's reign, the temple site was also used as a place to gather troops for war. Including a place for medical treatment for injured people as well as beasts of burden
A working animal is an animal, usually domesticated, that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks instead of being slaughtered to harvest animal products. Some are used for their physical strength (e.g. oxen and draft horses) or for t ...
.
Wat Bang Oi Chang also mentioned in ''Nirat Phra Pathom'' (นิราศพระประธม, "journey to Phra Pathom Chedi
Phra Pathommachedi or Phra Pathom Chedi ( th, พระปฐมเจดีย์) is a Buddhist stupa in Thailand. The stupa is located in the Wat Phra Pathommachedi Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan ( th, วัดพระปฐมเจดีย์ร ...
"), a poem by famous poet Sunthon Phu
Phra Sunthorn Vohara (Phu) ( th, พระสุนทรโวหาร (ภู่), , ; 26 June 1786 – 1855), known as Sunthorn Phu ( th, สุนทรภู่, , ), is Thailand's best-known royal poet. He wrote during the Rattanakosin pe ...
in 1842. When he traveled to Nakhon Pathom Province to pay homage to Phra Pathom Chedi and passed to this temple by boat.
The inside of the temple is full of interesting things and many other precious relics, such as the hanging (raised as on hill) Buddha’s footprint cast in bronze more than 200 years ago, just
one of this in the world, the temple museum exhibits a number of old items, including wooden cabinets for keeping Tripiṭaka
''Tipiṭaka'' () or ''Tripiṭaka'' () or ''තිපිටක'' (), meaning "Triple Basket", is the traditional term for ancient collections of Buddhist sacred scriptures.
The Pāli Canon maintained by the Theravāda tradition in ...
scripture. Among them are cupboards that show foreign influences such as communities of Chinese people and Kāma
''Kama'' (Sanskrit ) means "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu texts, Hindu, Buddhist texts, Buddhist, Jain literature, Jain, and Sikh literature, Sikh literature.Monier Williamsकाम, kāmaMonier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, pp 27 ...
(god of love and passion), with a portrait of King Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...
(Rama V) given to the temple when he made merit at the temple, according to the village head
A village head, village headman or village chief is the community leader of a village or a small town.
Usage
Brunei
In Brunei, village head is called or in the Malay language. It is an administrative post which leads the community of a v ...
, including items used in the daily lives of people in the past, old coins, kitchenware, war weapons, a wooden boat etc.
In addition, the principal Sukhothai Buddha statue in Māravijaya posture named "Phra Si Satsada" (พระศรีศาสดา), it can be considered an important Buddha statue with a long legend and history alongside Phra Phuttha Chinnarat
Phra () is a Thai term that may refer to:
*''Phra'', a Thai-language term for Buddhist monk
*''Phra'', a Thai-language term for priest
*''Phra'', a Thai-language word used as a prefix denoting holy or royal status, including in Thai royal ranks ...
in Phitsanulok Province and Phra Phuttha Chinnasi of Wat Bowonniwet
Wat Pavaranivesh Vihara Ratchawarawihan ( th, วัดบวรนิเวศวิหารราชวรวิหาร; , ) is a major Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. Being the residence of Nyanasamvar ...
in Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
. It once was almost sent to enshrine at Wat Pradu Chimphli
Wat Pradu Chimphli ( th, วัดประดู่ฉิมพลี; also spelled: Wat Pradu Chimplee or Wat Pradoochimplee) is an ancient civilian Thai Buddhist temple in Wat Tha Phra Subdistrict, Bangkok Yai District, Bangkok's Thonburi s ...
in Bangkok's Thonburi side, but was rejected by King Mongkut
Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibod ...
(Rama IV) because it was an important Buddha statue.
References
{{Authority control
Buddhist temples in Nonthaburi province
Tourist attractions in Nonthaburi province
18th-century Buddhist temples
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1761
1760s establishments in Thailand