Thailand is a wonderful place to visit and it has so much to offer in terms of things to do and see. So when in the country do venture to the area of China Town as well. The Temple of the Golden Buddha is no doubt a major tourist attraction, owing to the gold factor mostly. Located the China Town area, this is the largest Golden Buddha in the entire world and if you love stories, you can find one inside the hall. The Golden Buddha is thought to have been built around the 13th or 14th century and has a strong Indian art influence to it. Since it was popular for statues made in India to be carried around the world, it does leave room for speculation that the statue was actually made in India too.
The masterpiece is said to be valued at over 250 million dollars as the body of the statue is 40% pure gold and from the forehead to the chin area it is 80%. The head of this statue is made from 99% pure gold! This is truly a unique structure of the Buddha that you can see and one must be very privileged indeed to witness such a magnificent piece of art. The statue in the temple is represented in a traditional pose that depicts the touching of the earth with the right hand to see Shakyamuni Buddha’s Bodh Gaya enlightenment. This pose is known as the pose of Bhusmisparsha Mudra.
This magnificent statue is depicted in such a way that it has wide shoulders and an inflated chest, and elongated ear lobes that say he is from royalty and a prince. Once inside the temple of the Golden Buddha, do not forget to look around and observe the paintings, they are reputed to be absolutely amazing.
When staying in the area look for Sukhumvit accommodation as they serve as great Bangkok serviced apartments. Check out the Anantara Baan Rajprasong Bangkok for a great stay. The temple of the Golden Buddha is no doubt fascinating and well worth the visit, but when you are in the area, do not forget to check out China Town as well for it would really be a treat for the modern day traveller.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry. Google+
