Wat Intharawihan

Wat Intharawihan, also known as Wat Indravihan and built during the later Ayutthaya period, is one of the most frequented temples of Thailand. It is located on Wisut Kasat Road, on the northern periphery of Banglamphu, on Nakhon District of Bangkok. This temple is famous for housing a colossal Buddha image, known as 'Luang Pho To', believed to have power of bringing merit. Everyday, many local devotees as well as tourists visit the place to seek blessings of the Divinity and make various offerings at the feet of the statue.

This massive Buddha image saw construction during the reign of Rama IV and stands tall at a height of 32 m. The width of this standing image is 10 m and its topknot is interred with holy relics of the Buddha, brought from Sri Lanka. The statue faces east, holds alms-bowls in hands and remains sheathed with 24K golden mosaics, brought from Italy. The peculiarity of the image is that it is very thin, with prominently flat facial features. However, as a whole, it displays a very modernistic architectural style.

Getting a closer look at the towering image can be quite overpowering. Even the gilded toenails of the statue are quite large. There are also smaller Buddha images placed near the feet of the statue. Visitors offer strings of flowers on the toes and these emblems, in order to mark their devotion. Besides, near the entrance to the place, you can see many caged birds for sale. According to local beliefs, purchasing a birdcage and releasing the birds while standing on the base of the statue brings good luck, prosperity and success.