Even the greatest empires
rise and fall. Rulers come and go. And, the world is ever changing every minute
of the day. However, the things of the past, or as others romanticize these,
the accounts of history serve as constant reminders, caveats per se, of
mistakes and glories of the bygones. These accounts convey invaluable lessons
that preclude us from getting on the same trail of oversight, over and over
again. The ancient city of Ayutthaya is a testament of that. This UNESCO World
Heritage Site houses a multitude of archeological sites which include ruins,
temples, and monasteries. The presence of these priceless relics alone conjure up ideas of grandeur of the former capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
Given that the former capital city was an epitome of commerce and diplomacy to the East and West, the brick ruins are not the only treasures which can be found. European and other Asian migrants have since then established their own settlements, gradually influencing the landscapes of the city, which up to these days still immortalize the advancement of the kingdom. But that era of progress and peace was not sustainable. The kingdom experienced its demise when the Burmese attacked and ravaged the city, tearing down the monuments and sites that once exhibited the architectural prowess and economic development of its civilization, and forcing them to relocate to the southern banks of the river to what is now Bangkok.
I’ve always been a savvy for history and social sciences. The affairs of
men from then until now have always stirred my curiosity. And, visiting the
ruins of the ancient city of Ayutthaya was undeniably a dream come true that
felt like stepping into history which I have only read through my elementary
and high school textbooks and from my humble list of must-read non-fictions. It
was like going back to childhood once again when learning was but one concern.
Although what remains of the grandiose sites are nothing but scraps of adobes
and disfigured images of the Buddha, the city is still a sight to behold.
To get most out of the
time, I decided to stroll around Ayutthaya through a packaged tour organized by
Klook. It has become more convenient and hassle-free since the tour already
included a round-trip transportation, an organized itinerary, and tour guide.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Wat Lokayasutharam
Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Wat Mahathat
Ayutthaya Floating Market
Wat Phanan Choeng
Chao Phraya Sunset Boat Ride
We departed at a mall in Bangkok at 9:00 am. After more than an hour of land travel, we started the tour at Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, which was packed with both local and foreign crowd in celebration with King Rama X’s coronation. Tremendous sights within the premises of the temple include large chedis and array of Buddha dressed in yellow cloth. We then proceeded to Wat Lokayasutharam, which literally means Temple of the Earth. It enshrines on its grounds one of the biggest Phra Noon or reclining Buddha in Thailand. A ruin of an ubosot or ordination hall is still present among a courtyard of adobe bricks. What remains of the temple is almost an open space, so make your fans and water bottles come in handy. Before halting at an authentic Thai restaurant for a hearty lunch, we visited the adjacent sites of Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit and Wat Phra Si Sanphet. The former, which is colloquially called as a white temple, displays traditional Thai and contemporary western elements in its structure, while the latter was a temple of the royal family during the Ayutthaya period (In the past, commoners were not allowed to enter the premises of the temple). Indeed, the contrasting elements of the nouveau and the antediluvian can be seen complementing on the entire temple grounds.
As soon as we filled our
appetites with sumptuous Thai food, we set off our afternoon rounds in the
historical city. We visited another temple famous for its Buddha’s head image
entangled in the branches of a tree. Remains of the then grand Wat Mahathat or
Temple of the Great Relic includes the main gates, the quincunx, the royal
vihara, and a gallery of headless Buddhas, which resulted from the loots
organized by the Burmese. Next on our itinerary was a break from all the
information overload from the ancient temples. We visited a simulated version
of a Thai floating market. Various local products such as Thai delicacies and
souvenir items. We tried different Thai snacks and we also got to experience a
boat ride around the vicinity of the market. After delighting on various fares
in the local market, we made for our last temple, Wat Phanan Choeng, where the 19m-high
gilded Buddha alluded every visitor. At the rear of the temple, a shrine
dedicated for the Chinese princess, Soi Dok Mak is situated as well. The temple
has also a pier which became the jump-off point for the sunset boat ride. The
tour ended as we took a glimpse of the different edifices along the riverbanks
of Chao Phraya and Pa Sak. Among the sites that can be caught a sight of are
Wat Chai Watthanaram, Wat Phutthaisawan, and St. Joseph’s Church.
As soon as we filled our
appetites with sumptuous Thai food, we set off our afternoon rounds in the
historical city. We visited another temple famous for its Buddha’s head image
entangled in the branches of a tree. Remains of the then grand Wat Mahathat or
Temple of the Great Relic include the main gates, the quincunx, the royal
vihara, and a gallery of headless Buddhas, which resulted from the loots
organized by the Burmese. Next on our itinerary was a break from all the
information overload from the ancient temples. We visited a simulated version
of a Thai floating market. Various local products such as Thai delicacies and
souvenir items. We tried different Thai snacks and we also got to experience a
boat ride around the vicinity of the market. After delighting on various fares
in the local market, we made for our last temple, Wat Phanan Choeng, where the 19m-high
gilded Buddha hails every visitor. At the rear of the temple, a shrine
dedicated for the Chinese princess, Soi Dok Mak is situated as well. The temple
has also a pier which became the jump-off point for the sunset boat ride. The
tour ended as we took a glimpse of the different edifices along the riverbanks
of Chao Phraya and Pa Sak. Among the sites that can be caught a sight of are
Wat Chai Watthanaram, Wat Phutthaisawan, and St. Joseph’s Church.
Ayutthaya is just one of
the many testaments that what we are today is shaped by our past. However, just
as how the Thai people rebuilt and rose their kingdom from the ashes, let us
not allow the mere past to define our entire existence. History does not repeat
if we truly learn from it and take every erstwhile circumstance into
consideration. Perhaps, it is better to learn from others’ mistakes than from
our own.
This tour was booked through the Klook app. Link here.
This tour was booked through the Klook app. Link here.
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