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Sobering presence Wat Prathum in Siam Square is an oasis of calm in a chaotic neighbourhood In the heart of Bangkok there is a place where time ticks more slowly than the world that surrounds it. Last week, just as technicians were setting up the stage and reporter teams and cameramen jostled for position to cover the anti-government rally in front of Siam Paragon shopping and entertainment complex on Rama I Road, I could feel the tension simmering. Police officers in uniform and plain clothes stood on alert to prevent the tension from escalating into violence. That was a few hours before the protesters arrived. With the sun beating down unrelentingly I decided it was time to sneak out and find sanctuary in a temple next door. You may not believe that behind the pale yellow wall and lush vegetation around Chalerm Phao Intersection, a stone's throw from Siam Square and Ratchadamri, there is a world totally different from the one I had just left. Here, at Wat Pathum Wanaram Rajvora Vihara and the community that grew around it, the simple and easy pace of life continues unaffected despite the rising pressure on the prime minister to step down. "No, neither the modern world outside the temple walls nor the rallies have had any affect on our lifestyle, although sometimes they do cause traffic jam," said Wimon Sorasith, a monk who runs the temple office. I thought it must be hard spending monkhood in a temple located right in the heart of a fashion and business district that also boasts a vibrant nightlife. To the north, the temple borders a canal beyond which is a Mecca for garment buyers; to its west are Siam Paragon and Siam Discovery, the country's most luxurious shopping complexes; and to its east is the towering Central World Plaza and Rajdamri district famous again for its malls and luxurious hotels. Siam Square, where Thai teenagers show off latest designs emerging on the fashion front, is to the temple's south just across the road over which runs the BTS Skytrain that can take ferry commuters around the city in quick time. Just stepping outside the temple's walls monks are face-to-face with young girls in spaghetti line, mini-skirts and shorts. Siam Square is symbolic of all values modern in Thai society and characterised by fast food outlets, chick dressing and a bustling nightlife. "We are oblivious to temptations of the outside world," the monk affirmed. I agreed with him. I found life in the temple compound quiet and carefree, in complete contrast to the break-neck speed at which it moved beyond its walls. People arrived at a steady rate to offer their prayers to Lord Buddha, while monks were busy with their lessons and kids frolicked in the sun. Wat Pathum is a royal temple that sits on a vast lotus pond. Completed in 1857 during the reign of King Rama IV, it houses three highly revered statues that were brought from Vientiane in Laos - Phra Serm, Phra Sook, and Phra Sai. In the ubosot, murals painted nearly 150 years ago look strikingly clear even today. They remind us of the natural beauty of the vast lotus pond, as it must have appeared when the temple was built. Lotus blooms were in view everywhere, a far cry from today as the pond area has shrunk considerably, the water having dried up. Turning around, I was woken up from my reverie by the sight of skyscrapers towering all around me and the noise emanating from traffic on the road. Yes, the lotus pond is less imposing, but the temple continues to be a symbol of calm, a sanctuary of peace in an otherwise chaotic neighbourhood. "Shoppers, particularly those from the countryside, pay a visit to the temple after they are done with buying. Exhausted, they come here to relax. After the shopping malls close for the day, their staff drop in to pray and make merit," said the monk. So Wat Pathum is in trend after all, I was glad to hear that. I also learned that the temple also holds the countdown to the New Year when its gates remain open well past midnight for visitors coming to say their prayers and make a wish. "Of course, a lot of people join us on dates important in the Buddhist calendar. You will be surprised to see them here on those days. They find time from shopping and come here to join religious rites," explained the monk. I was clearly impressed by what I heard. After all, there is an oasis of calm right in the very heart of Bangkok where people can find peace, recharge their batteries and live to fight another day. |