Wat Ketkaram, Chiang Mai

Year of the Dog: For people born in this year, they should pay respect to the chedi at Ket Kaeo Chulamanee. Unfortunately this temple is in Heaven and so is a little difficult to drive there. Fortunately for us, in 1428 A.D., a replica of this temple was built in Chiang Mai. It is actually quite an interesting temple to wander around even though it is not in the Lonely Planet. If you want to go there, you will find it on the east bank of the Ping River. If you look closely at the above photograph, you can see that the top part is slightly askew. This is because the builders didn’t want to show any disrespect to the original version by having this chedi point straight up to Heaven. In the temple grounds there is also an interesting museum of local artifacts which the monks have collected over the years. Another fascinating feature in the temple grounds is this ubosot pictured below. Look at those intricate carvings on the door and the front of the building. Very unusual. If you are ever in Chiang Mai, make an effort to visit this temple. Certainly you should come here if you were born in the Year of the Dog. Thai people believe that your spirit will reside in the chedi representing the year of your birth. So, you should try and visit the temple to pay respects before you die!

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Province

Year of the Goat: If you ever go to Chiang Mai, then you must make sure you visit this temple at the top of the mountain at Doi Suthep. The golden chedi is really beautiful and if you go there on a clear day, you will also see fine views of Chiang Mai city and the surrounding countryside. This temple dates back to 1373 A.D. There is a fascinating legend about how the site for this temple was chosen. The Lanna king at that time invited a monk from Sukhothai to bring him a relic of the Lord Buddha. When he arrived, the relic mysteriously duplicated itself. One piece was enshrined at Wat Suan Dok. The other piece was put in a box on the back of an auspicious white elephant. The elephant was then left to wander on its own accord. It then proceeded up to the top of Suthep Mountain where it walked in a circle three times and then promptly fell down dead. The chedi was then built on this spot to house the relic. This temple is an important place for people born in the Year of the Goat.

Wat Jet Yot, Chiang Mai

Year of the Snake: This turned out to be one of the hardest temples for me to find. All I had was the name Wat Maha Potaram (also written Wat Botharam Maha Vihara). It wasn’t in any of my guidebooks. The people at the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) didn’t know too. All I knew was that it was in Chiang Mai and it looked a bit like the famous Bodhgaya in India. I nearly gave up but decided to go back to the TAT office on my last day in the city. I was in luck. A local resident happened to be visiting the office at that time. She told me that it is on the northern highway loop and that it is better known by its nickname, Wat Jet Yot, or temple with the seven spires.

Wat Jet Yot was built in the mid 15th Century. The seven spires represent the seven weeks that the Buddha spent in Bodhgaya before he went out to spread his teachings. The outside wall is decorated with a stucco relief of an assembly of angels. In the grounds there is a bodhi tree much like the one that the Buddha set under during his enlightenment. As well as being an important pilgrimage site for people born in the Year of the Snake, the temple is also the historical location for the eighth world seminar on the revision of the Tripitaka in 1477 A.D. If you cannot make it to Bodhgaya in India, then this temple is a good alternative.

Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai

Year of the Dragon: Probably the most visited temple in Chiang Mai is Wat Phra Singh. When I was there earlier in the year it was under renovation. The outside of the beautiful Lanna style Wihan Lai Kham had already been completed as you can see in this photograph. But, there was scaffolding blocking the entrance so I couldn’t enter. I believe all renovations are now over. This 14th Century temple is famous for the Buddha image Phra Singh which is revered by all people from Chiang Mai. Wat Phra Singh is an important pilgrimage site for people born in the Year of the Dragon. I urge everyone to visit this temple if you find yourself in Chiang Mai.