The Mondop Housing Footprints of the Lord Buddha (64)
Uttaradit
- Information
The standing footprints of the Lord Buddha are housed within
a mondop at Wat Phra Yuen in Thung Yang, Uttaradit Province The footprints are obviously those of a man standing. They are stabilized on 1.5 meters high laterite block decorated with stucco lotus ornaments.
Based on the chronicle, in the year 237 B.C., Bathamarat, the ruler of Chaliang (near Si Satchanalai in Sukhothai Province) raised the status of a certain village, renamed it Muang Kamphocha Nakhon and set his son Chao Thammarat Kuman (the Prince of Righteousness) up as ruler of the city. Chao Thammarat, on leaming about the standing footprints on the top of the hill outside the city, had the area deared of vegetation. Realising the importance of the discovery, he asked his father the king for architects and laborers. The king then granted his request and sent him devout artisans and craftsmen to build a mondop (a grand pavilion) to house the holy footprints.
According to the local tale, the footprints may have existed for 2,000 years. The presumption, neverthless, contradict the fact concluded from the archaeological finds. Based on the archacological remains, His Royal Highness Prince Damrong Rajanupab found no evidence that can be dated back to the Sulhothai era On the contrary, the ancient monuments incduding the mondop that houses the footprints, were all made in the Ayutthaya period. The mondop was made of brick and plaster The interior is elaborately decorated with mural paintings the story of Phra Malai, an enlightened disciple of Ceylon who interviewed the inhabitants of heaven and hell and returned to human world to tell of his experiences. The murals were completed in the reign of King Rama V
The square mondop is a pyramidal roof cover with tiles. Crowning the top is a chedi with a square bell element The eaves of the roof are supported by round pillars with lotus capitals. The multi tiered structure is a typical monument Chiang Saen Muang Boran reconstructed the building in its actual size
a mondop at Wat Phra Yuen in Thung Yang, Uttaradit Province The footprints are obviously those of a man standing. They are stabilized on 1.5 meters high laterite block decorated with stucco lotus ornaments.
Based on the chronicle, in the year 237 B.C., Bathamarat, the ruler of Chaliang (near Si Satchanalai in Sukhothai Province) raised the status of a certain village, renamed it Muang Kamphocha Nakhon and set his son Chao Thammarat Kuman (the Prince of Righteousness) up as ruler of the city. Chao Thammarat, on leaming about the standing footprints on the top of the hill outside the city, had the area deared of vegetation. Realising the importance of the discovery, he asked his father the king for architects and laborers. The king then granted his request and sent him devout artisans and craftsmen to build a mondop (a grand pavilion) to house the holy footprints.
According to the local tale, the footprints may have existed for 2,000 years. The presumption, neverthless, contradict the fact concluded from the archaeological finds. Based on the archacological remains, His Royal Highness Prince Damrong Rajanupab found no evidence that can be dated back to the Sulhothai era On the contrary, the ancient monuments incduding the mondop that houses the footprints, were all made in the Ayutthaya period. The mondop was made of brick and plaster The interior is elaborately decorated with mural paintings the story of Phra Malai, an enlightened disciple of Ceylon who interviewed the inhabitants of heaven and hell and returned to human world to tell of his experiences. The murals were completed in the reign of King Rama V
The square mondop is a pyramidal roof cover with tiles. Crowning the top is a chedi with a square bell element The eaves of the roof are supported by round pillars with lotus capitals. The multi tiered structure is a typical monument Chiang Saen Muang Boran reconstructed the building in its actual size
