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Acquired taste The architectural splendour of Buddhist temples in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani radiate a charm that is rooted in its strong historical links with Laos and Cambodia. The Mekong River separates the province from Laos on the east, while to its south is Cambodia. Ubon used to be part of the Khmer Empire until the 10th century when it was annexed and ruled from Ayutthaya. Since then it is a place of pilgrimage at the start of every Buddhist Lent. Its inhabitants are farmers who raise livestock and whose strong religious faith dictates the pace of their everyday life. Driving through the province is a great way to understand why Ubon is renowned for its strong Buddhist traditions, particularly the presence of forest-dwelling monks and ancient temples which can be spotted at regular intervals in villages and towns big and small. Traces of ancient civilisations, magnificently restored temples and Khmer ruins dot Ubon, also known as the Lotus City. They go hand in hand with its ancient customs and traditions, art and picturesque river and mountain scenery. On a recent sojourn there, I stumbled upon Wat Phukhao Kaew (Glass Mountain Temple) built on a mountain slope in Phibun Mangsahan district by chance - after stopping to ask a vendor for direction to another more eminent temple in the area. He advised us to visit Wat Phukhao Kaew, saying it also had its own museum full of sculptures from teakwood. The temple is approximately 44 kilometres from Phibun Mangsahan on Highway 217. Built in 1937, it started as a meditation facility. The lawns of the temple are adorned with Buddhist sculptures and potteries. The first thing that struck me was the immensity of its chapels which were festooned with tiles. The roof of each chapel was designed in distinct Thai style accompanied by matching trimmings and ornamentation. On closer observation, I found that the designs featured a combination of portraits of the Naga, incorporated with delicate Indian and ancient Khmer patterns on them. The ubosot or the ordination hall was a marvellous piece of art - bas-reliefs over the door and window panels chronicling important episodes from religion and history. The lower level of the building was used primarily for meditation purposes. The sun was setting by the time we completed the tour of the temple, but I decided to make a quick stop at the museum located beside the monk quarters. On display were a number of wooden carvings dating back half a century and Buddha statues of all shapes and sizes. It was a nice place to reflect on days gone by, I thought. Stepping outside the museum, I was mesmerised by the picturesque sight of Wat Phukhao Kaew silhouetted against the fading glow of the setting sun. |