Thursday, January 01, 2009

291206 Wat Nong

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Main gate:

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Almost all photos of this temple were taken from this side...

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...to get away from the whistling from the novice monks hanging around on this side:

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Viharn:

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The seven-headed naga king Muchalinda coiling its body to raise Buddha above the rising floodwaters & using its hood to shelter him from the storm caused by the evil Mara:

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Hongsa + Chinese dragon + naga at upper corners of the main doorway:

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Mae Thoranii wringing water from her hair to drown Mara's army on the main door...

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...as they try to attack Buddha, who reaches out to touch the earth with his right hand in the calling the earth to witness pose:

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Naga have long necks so that they can eat sticky rice off their chests?

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Detail of pillar...

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& ceiling...

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On a side door, Pha Phom (second from top) invites Buddha to return to earth to preach:

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Think this is the only single-panelled door the cat has ever come across in a Lao or Thai Buddhist temple viharn - all doors decorated with such elaborate woodcarvings usually have two panels.

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