Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadara is much more than just another gilded Buddhist temple. It is a sacred place that literally protects and holds together the Thai nation. At the heart of this temple complex sits an object of national reverence – the 0.6 metre high statue of the Emerald Buddha. For many Buddhists, this figure is a powerful talisman, bringing prosperity where-ever it is housed – and guaranteeing good fortune to its rulers. It is said that if the Emerald Buddha is ever removed from the Temple, the ruling Thai Chakri dynasty will fall.
So as you'd expect, the temple buildings housing this most-sacred object are as magnificent and ornate as the Emerald Buddha itself is small. The temple complex is found behind the protective walls of the Grand Palace, in its own walled compound. The most immediate stand-out buildings are three spired temples – the pantheon (Prasat Phra Debidorn) which houses statues of the eight Chakri kings, the tier-roofed library (Phra Mondop) which houses the holy scriptures, and the brilliant golden dome and spire of the Phra Sri Rattana Chedi, which houses ashes from the Buddha.
While the gold Chedi may draw the eye, it is the larger ubosot behind it where the Emerald Buddha actually sits. The entrance is guarded by two gigantic sword wielding figures, the Yaksa Tavarnba, or Gate-keeping Giants. Once inside, you'll see the Emerald Buddha lifted high on stacked gold daises, surrounding by a cascade of golden ornamentation. Because of the sacred nature of the Emerald Buddha, only the King may approach the figure. Three times a year he changes to cloak of the Buddha, to reflect the changing seasons, in an elaborate ritual.
The statue is actually carved from a single piece of jade, from where it gets its emerald-green colour, and may be as old as 2,100 years old – if the legends are true. It is said that an Indian saint made the Emerald Buddha in 150 BC, with the help of the gods. He prophesised "prosperity and pre-eminence to each country in which it resides." Historians say the statue may only date back 500 years, to when it was found in a temple in northern Thailand. But given the undoubted prosperity of modern-day Thailand, could that saintly prophet have been closer to the mark?
