Friday, March 16, 2007

191206 Wat Sing Jai, Muang Sing

A Tai Lue style temple behind Muang Sing Guesthouse & the Tribal Museum:

PC190132
PC190135

'Layer' of 'windows' separating the upper three & bottom two layers of the green roof (below left) is something the cat has never noticed before in temple roofs. It would later realise the dramatic effect that they have on the interior.

PC190085 PC190093

Ridge of roof has the simplest 'yort4 sor faa4' (lit. ยอด summit ช่อ bouquet ฟ้า heaven aka. dok sor faa & yort chor faa) the cat would come across in North Lao (above right). Most other temples the cat saw had 7 to 17 of the 'projections', all squarish, like this & this. Wat Sing Jai's version reminds the cat of Khmer prangs, which also symbolise Mount Meru.

PC190101

The pointed tongue-shaped piece of wood carving attached to the apex of the gable (above, upper left) directly below the chor faa (roof finial) is another feature new to the cat. It has seen a cross-shaped version called kalae กาแล on the roofs of traditional Thai houses though.

Plain whitewashed walls on the outside, & windows & doors decorated with white stencilled designs instead of the usual gold:

PC190084 PC190111

Behind tiny doors (above right) just tall enough for the cat to walk through without having to stoop:

PC190115
PC190121

Bright firecracker-red pillars, each with a large rectangular mirror hanging from it at an angle (what do they mean? what are they for?) & Tai Lue thoong2 (banners) hanging from the crossbeams above:

PC190115a
PC190121a

The 'windows' between the upper & lower layers of the roof transform what could have been a typical dark & musty temple interior into a bright & airy space:

PC190122

A different style of Buddha images with painted eyebrows & red 'lipstick':

PC190124

Totally wrapped up from neck down, again something new to the cat...

No comments: