After paying my respects at the Erawan Shrine, which has become a part of my morning routine, I headed for the Royal Palace area. I decided to take a short detour before entering the Royal Palace in Bangkok and entered a small shrine called Lak Mueang. Inside the shrine, the floor is recessed, and two golden pillars are erected in the center. These pillars are the deities of Lak Mueang.
The guardian deity of Bangkok, Chao Pho Lak Muang, is said to reside in these two pillars, so they must be like yoriyos (deities) in Japan. There are many Buddha statues in Bangkok, Hindu gods like Erawan Temple, and other local gods. Chao Pho Lak Mueang has a wide range of benefits. Many people visit the temple to pray to the deity, as it is believed to bring both financial and professional success. When I entered the temple, a woman was sitting on the floor praying.
Although it is not unusual in Japan to have a pillar as the deity (in Japan, gods are counted as one or two pillars), the custom of worshipping the guardian deity of a town is something that is not found in Japan. This may mean that towns and villages were less likely to be attacked by foreign enemies in Japan. In fact, Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, is not surrounded by walls now or in the past.
Dec 2019 PEOPLE THAILAND | |
BANGKOK FLOWER SHRINE WORSHIPER |
No
11321
Shooting Date
Sep 2019
Posted On
December 13, 2019
Modified On
September 25, 2023
Place
Bangkok, Thailand
Genre
Street Photography
Camera
SONY ALPHA 7R II
Lens
SONNAR T* FE 55MM F1.8 ZA