Stories from Chiang Mai – The Silver Temple
Sometimes, no matter how much you read ahead about a city, the most interesting places can surprise you, appear in your way, like an exotic legend you just happen to fall into. How else would I be able to explain the Silver Temple of Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is a city in Norther Thailand, serving as a launching pad for all sorts of trips in the surrounding mountains and villages. There’s a whole industry built around entertaining tourist with everything from tigers and cobra handling, visiting settlements of Burmese refugees, to paper umbrella painting craft or riding elephants. But the city itself is a destination, its square centre protected by walls and a moat houses all sorts of temples and holy places.
On weekends, the city centre gets a make over, ready to host the Weekend Night Market. Around 4PM the traffic is removed from the central streets and in its stead, merchants, sizzling pans and curious foreigners start their bargaining.
The stunning array of colourful objects and spicy food was not to be missed.
As we wondered on the twisting streets of the Saturday Night Market, loud music and drums echo around us. A temple entrance to the side reveals the source of the music: a group of young thai dancers, enchanting the public with their rolling eyes, golden tipped claws and colourful dress.
I pull away from the barely coordinated dance and look beyond, around the courtyard of the temple complex. I don’t quite understand what I am looking at, though…Is it a blue temple? How is the roof reflecting so much light?
Is it just me, or is that god damn Silver fucking temple?!
I go closer, to touch it, to understand what i’m looking at:
But before I can waltz my way into the wonder, I read the sign: Women are not allowed to enter the Ordination Hall’s area.
Excuse me?!
My protests go in vain, as the next sign explains why: “Beneath the base of Ubosotha in the monastic boundary, many precious things, incantations, amulets and other holy objects were buried 500 years ago. Entering inside the place may deteriorate the place or otherwise the lady herself. According to this Lanna Belief, ladies are not allowed to enter the Ubosotha.”
OK, let’s just say it’s for my well being and move on.
So I unwillingly wait outside as The Man wonders through the temple and captured in photos the next level of weirdness: Skulls, Buddha, GPS Satellites and Aliens (yes, aliens!).
If he hadn’t returned with pictures, I wouldn’t have believed him.
The outside, by comparison, is a sober affair. Dragons howling flames into the horizon, elephants shading themselves from the moon under silver umbrellas and some flowers to pull it all together.
Had I come with the expectation of a metal temple, the impact would have been far smaller. But surprised like I was, I got easily lost in a by-the-books asian fairy tail. The narrative includes of course orange cloaked monks guarding ancient amulets and a blue river spilling over the silver temple, buffed with magic potions.
Oh, I almost forgot! Also included are 2 fat dragons, a girl and a boy, no exclusions!
