WAT PHRA KAEW/THE TEMPLE of the EMERALD BUDDHA

Within the Grand Palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains the small, very famous and greatly revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century.

 

The Emerald Buddha is enshrined on a golden traditional Thai-style throne made of gilded-carved wood. known as Busabok, in the ordination hall of the royal monastery. 

 

The sacred image is clad with one of the three seasonal costumes(summer, rainy and winter season) The costumes are changed three times a year in a ceremony presided by His Majesty King.

my blurry shot of the Emerald buddha taken at the entrance door

According to the legend, The Emerald Buddha is in fact carved from a block green jade and was discovered in Chang Rai in 1434.AT that time it was covered with plaster and was thought to be a ordinary Buddha image. Later on the abbot who had found the imaged noticed that the plaster on the nose had flaked off , revealing the green stone underneath. The abbot initially thought that the stone was emerald.

 

The Royal Pantheon in Temple of the Emerald Buddha is only open one day a year, on 6 April.