Finding Art through Adventure

One of our goals while living in Nakhon Si Thammarat is pray inside every temple. We are praying for the Holy Spirit to move, to be present, to make His Name known. This weekend was filled with adventure. Some of these adventures led us to temples we had not yet visited. It is incredible just how many temples, wats, and mosques are in our city. After having lived here for just over a month, we are beginning to realize there are probably 40-50 temples in our area. Each one big and beautiful. They truly are an art. When I see them I can’t help but thank the Lord for creating such vibrant colors and such beautiful textures. Our Father really is the ultimate artist. Wouldn’t it be incredible if everyone could see His fingerprints all over our world?

On our trips to Thailand there are many temples that we visit year after year; one of these is Wat Mahatat in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Over the years I’ve come to especially love one Buddha statue there.

The full name of the temple is Wat Phra Mahatat Woramahawihaan, sometimes abbreviated to Wat Phra Boromathat. It is found a couple kilometers from the town center on Thanon Ratchadamnoen, the long street that runs the length of the town, and is easily reached by songthaew.

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan is the main Buddhist temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, the largest province in Southern Thailand. It is located on the main sand bar of Nakhon Si Thammarat on which the ancient town and the present town of Nakhon Si Thammarat were built. The ancient town of Nakhon Si Thammarat developed from the early state of Thailand called Tambralinga and the name of which is mentioned in the Pali canon of the Buddhism as one of the prosperous port towns of the Eastern world, and thereby archaeological evidence found at many sites in Nakhon Si Thammarat supports the literary evidence. Tambralinga became a flourishing port town and was ruled independently since the 5th century CE. and continued onwards. At some points of times it joined a union with Sri Vijaya, the Mahayana Buddhist Kingdom, which was famous for the world maritime trade networks during the 8th to the 12th century CE.