A temple by the bay

It is strange to come across a temple with beautiful images of gods and goddesses from Indian mythology on a peninsula of Thailand. Of course, India and Thailand have had a long history of interaction from ancient times.

The name of the founder (Rama I) of the present Chakri royal family, Bangkok’s international airport Suvarnabhumi (land of gold), the ancient capital Ayyuthya (Ayodhya), the dominance of the epic Ramakien (Ramayana) in Thailand, are only a few examples that vindicate this fact.

But what is different about this temple, known as the ‘Sanctuary of Truth’, also called Prasat Satchatham or Prasat Sut Ja-Tum in Thai language, is that it is still under construction and not something from the hoary past.

A monumental task

From the resort city of Pattaya, a trip to the peninsula of Laem Ratchawet via Naklua town to its north, is a complete contrast. After arriving at the sprawling park and a short walk, an astonishing sight meets your eyes from the platform on the higher ground. Below, beside the blue sea, rises a huge structure, with fluted roofs in Thai style. Going down by two sets of wooden stairways, I come face-to-face with this beautiful construction that strikes awe in my mind.

The huge building, which is more than 100 metres high (almost 20-storey tall), has been in the process of building from 1981 onwards. It is being built completely of wood. A team of over 200 woodcarvers are at work on the sanctuary at any given time. Part art installation, religious shrine and cultural monument, Sanctuary of Truth’s target year of completion is 2025. But an architect involved in the project says, “Who knows, when?” Indeed coming across the elaborate structure with intricate carvings, the workers still hard at work, it is difficult to say when it would be finished. When we see elaborate temples of the past in India or elsewhere, and admire the workmanship, we often do not take into account the years of labour that they have gone through.

The Sanctuary of Truth is the brain child of Thai millionaire late Khun Lek Viriyaphant, who was devoted to the idea of preserving Thai culture and history. He spent his fortune on this and other heritage projects. The Ancient City or Muang Boran near Bangkok is another example of his endeavour to preserve for posterity the gems of Thai architecture developing through centuries.

The richly detailed woodcarvings depict the four major philosophical and artistic influences through four gopuras representing Hindu, Khmer, Chinese and Thai. Images from the Buddhist and Hindu religions and mythologies of Cambodia (Khmer), China, India and Thailand are strewn across the structure.

One advantage of visiting the Sanctuary now is that you can see how the carvings are done, how the different halls are being conceived, each with a theme. The entire wooden structure is built without the use of a single nail that again harks back to the Thai architectural style. A guide from the Trust that is supervising the work takes me around first to show a small museum attached to the workshop and explains the different forms of this art of building — interlocking wood pieces in different styles.

One of the concepts behind the Sanctuary is that human civilisation was conceived from religious and philosophical truths and art. According to the official website, its purpose is to use art and culture as “a reflection of the ancient vision of earth, ancient knowledge, and Eastern Philosophy”. Even the steps going up to the Sanctuary’s halls have intricate carvings of man and women and earthly beings to depict leaving behind passions and worldly concerns.

Indian connect

Among other influences, the temple showcases deities and stories distinctly from the Indian pantheon. A number of carvings represent scenes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana and tell tales about the battle of good versus evil, wisdom versus ignorance. Elaborately carved deities like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Durga killing the demon Mahisasur, as also the representatives of the nine zodiac symbols done in the Indian style.

The Indians arrived in the land of Siam, Thailand’s old name, in the 1st century AD for trade. In the next five centuries Indian architecture, cultural and religious ethos dominated the south of Thailand. With the arrival of Buddhism, images from the Hindu pantheon were replaced by Buddha in many manifestations from the 5th century onwards.

After the tour, one can enjoy a cultural programme regularly performed at 11.30 am and 3.30 pm showcasing dance forms from different regions of the country.