Wat Pa Saeng Arun (The Sim Isan)

Rating: 3.4/5 (5 votes)

Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 17.00

 

Wat Pa Saeng Arun (The Sim Isan) Phra Lap, Muang Khon Kaen, Khon Kaen. Wat Pa Saeng Arun approximately 3 kilometers away from Khon Kaen City Hall on the Khon Kaen-Kalasin route.

 

The Sim Isan is outstanding features are its typical shape and style and solidity, as well as the beauty of its murals of Mudmi patterns of the province’s famous tie-dyed silk.

 

In addition to being a significant tourist attraction, this revered place has been intended for later generations to learn, treasure and conserve local architecture.

 

The Sim or Ubosot of Wat Wat Pa Saeng Arun is a mixture of northern Isan and central region architectural styles. Facing towards the east, the hall is 15 meters wide and 34 meters long.

 

The peak of the hall was made from pure gold and stands 60 meters above ground. The building consists of 52 posts, 14 windows and 3 doors.

 

The roof is covered with traditional Thai style tiles in orangey red color. It has 4 bell towers located at each corner of the hall’s wall. The construction of Sim Isan took 9 years and used approximately 49 million baht. 

 

The first part of Sim Isan is the stairway which represents the first step of behaving along the Buddhist code of conduct, just like the first element of the Noble Eightfold Path which is the right perspective.

 

Isan people often build statues of Naga (a mythical serpent) to guard the stairway on both sides. Statues of Singha (a mythical lion) or Mom, unique to the region, are also used as a guardian of the stairway up to the hall.

 

These animal statues, such as a Gajasiha (an elephant lion), lion, elephant and tiger, are made from sandstone; therefore they are durable to weather of northeastern region. The ground floor of Sim Isan is an area for "Pradakshina"(circumambulation.) and has stairways at all four sides.

 

The murals inside the Sim are painted in Mudmi patterns and pictures of angels sitting inside elaborate pavilions. The windows’ frames are carved in story of Maha Wetsandon Chadok. 

 

At the base of Sim Isan in the east, there are two statues of Gajasiha, guarding the hall. It is a mixed creature which has a body of a lion and has trunk and ivory. It is a mythical creature living in the Himmavanta Forest.

 

This creature reflects the concept of power, of elephant and lion combined. Standing towards the east facing the direction of Lord Buddha, they are the power of Ajnata Kaundinya, who assisted Lord Buddha and who will also protect Sim Isan which is the heart of a Buddhist temple.