Wat Pradoem Pagoda


Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/93KEgrJhoz9Au23K7

Wat Pradoem is only 6km from Chumphon Town. Take road No. 327 out of town for about 3km. When you cross over the railway line take the next u-turn and head back to Chumphon for 500m. Take the u-turn under the railway bridge and half way along the outward slip road take road No. 2009 on the left. The temple is about 3km along this road on the left.
The center piece at Wat Pradoem is a 15m high Pagoda (Chedi / Buddhist stupa). Rapped around the pagoda is a robe placed their by the local community. This robe is replaced each year on Asalha Puja Day.
The pagoda is within a walled courtyard.
Placed around 3 sides of the wall are 40 Buddha images all facing the pagoda.
At the entrance to the courtyard you will find two statues either side of the doorway. Known in Buddhist mythology as yaksha, they are guardian warriors who keep away evil spirits.
Just within the courtyard is the monk statue that the faithful will apply goldleaf.
Infront of the courtyard you will find a row of large gongs.
This temple is an archeological site of old Chumphon where objects such as sandstone Buddha images from the Srivijaya period have been found. Srivijayan Period (8th-13th centuries) was the time when Srivijaya (Indonesia) ruled over present-day southern Thailand.

Nang Ta-khian

In front of the ordination hall can be found this large tree trunk with lengths of colored cloth wrapped around it. Thai folklore believes Nang Ta-khian (Lady of Ta-khian) is a female spirit that haunts this tree. 
When you travel around Thailand you will see large trees with cloths wrapped around them. The cloths indicate that it is believed the tree contains a spirit and acts as a marker to protect the tree from accidental logging. The type of tree is known as Ta-khian (Hopea Odorata), is long living (centuries) and one of the larger types found in Thailand 
The tree is almost never felled for lumber, since the spirit would be furious and follow in the wood. About the only place Ta-khian is used as lumber is in a Buddhist Temple, where the merit of the monks is considered sufficient to render the spirit harmless. However, in present times some of these very ancient trees are felled anyway for their wood, even though it is said to be dangerous for a person to cut such a tree without the previous consent of the spirit inhabiting it.
It is believe the trunk found at Wat Pradoem is from a tree that had fallen naturally (no visible cut marks) and has been placed in the temple grounds in respect to the spirit they believe is within. Here can be found a little alter and offerings, such as cosmetics and a dress, have been made to the Nang Ta-khian.


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