Saturday Part Two: Palace of the Snow Queen

Fat clouds continued to slouch sullenly on tops of the mountains like groups of hoodies on benches in parks.... smoking, spitting, vaguely threatening and generally ruining the view of the place. But all was forgiven once we reached Wat Rong Khun, The White Temple.

For some reason the white clouds accentuated its beauty in the way that a blue sky couldn't - it was truly just how I imagined the Snow Queens Palace from the story by Hans Christian Andersen; white on white on white.

It has been built by a famous Thai Artist Chalermchai Kositipipat, who is a successful and renowned painter of Buddhist art here and all over the world, who used his own money to build this temple back in his home town. He does not ask for donations, or receive subsides, and has

even forbidden people to leave donations refusing to take any over a certain amount even when offered.

He planned for the building over several years, in the beginning training just 5 or 6 local villagers with an interest in art to begin the work. Now 12 years later still more parts of the temple are being created and there are over 60 'disciples' working on it.

It's really quite amazing to look at. pure white, to represent the purity of the Buddha, and studded with mirror, so that it gleams, and this is supposed to symbolise the Buddha's Dhamma that teaches man to observe his own mind and reflect loving kindness toward humankind.

The Bot itself where the Buddha relics are stored, is exquisitely painted inside, but with amazing modern looking murals rather than the usual one depicting ancent battle or stories one is used to seeing in temples (you are not allowed to photograph them but I was sneakily able to take a picture of a fraction of one just to give you an idea. Almost Dali-esque don't you think?)

Very surreal and fabulous stuff. I like the fact he's got a rolex, a mushroom cloud and the international space station in this one...

The Bot is

approached by the Bridge of the Cycle of rebirth,

which represents human sorrow and

happiness

...you have to pass through cravings and hell......

.....before you can pass through the gates of heaven, which are guarded by Mara and Death.

Little white fish flit through the still waters underneath the bridge like little ghosts.

The toilet block next door however is, is all gold!....Some people have told the artist that this is how he should have made the temple. He calls these people "bloody idiots" and has done this deliberately as a statement to prove that beauty is not about looks but abut the purity of the soul.

Here's the side view of the place

Anyway - pretty bloody spectacular.