Monday, August 18, 2008

Bangkok's Erawan Shrine

One of the most popular tourist attraction in the central district of Bangkok is The Erawan Shrine. This Hindu shrine houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu creation god Brahma. It often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered.

The Brahma Statue


The Erawan Shrine amidst the Busy Intersection.


The Thai dance troupe prays and performs.


For a few offerings, these Thai dancers will join you in prayers.

A devotee planting Incense.


The Shrine is located in Ratchaprasong Intersection and can also be viewed via the Skytrain.


The Deity has four faces and six Arms.

The Deity as we see it today is not the original statue of God Brahma. In 2006, a mentally-illed person vandalized and smashed the statue into pieces. After smashing the statue, the man was beaten to death by devotees of the Shrine. Two months later, a new Brahma statue containing fragments of the broken one was installed in the Shrine.

94 comments:

  1. grabe so many arms and faces!
    sobra naman sila beating the man up eh mentally-ill nga eh. faith can blind talaga.

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  2. Interesting shrine. very colorful.

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  3. This is very interesting! I've yet to visit Bangkok but from your photos I can see what the place is like.

    ;)

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  4. na-intiga ako dito sa mentally -illed person na nanira ng statue ng God Brahma. Di ba iisa lang ang GOD para sa atin lahat?

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  5. Bigla naman ako na-curious sa previous post mo. Alam naman ng lahat na legal ang prostitution sa Thailand at isa yun sa tourist attraction nila. Hayan, naging religious tuloy uli ang post. Kawawa naman yung mentally-illed bakit pinatay eh sira nga ulo noon.

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  6. aba! di ko naabutan yung red light district mo! kainis! Hahaha!

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  7. yellow makes your pics much more better... and bright off course...
    so... you are in bangkok now... summer holiday arent you?

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  8. nagpray ka rin ba dyan?

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  9. ibang klase noh..:).purong ginto bayun?

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  10. LS: That is really an ornate part of the world. Your photos are simply beautiful of the area.

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  11. @ prinsesamusang - four faces looking at all directions and six arms holding weapons.

    thai's religion thrive on tolerance but when you disrespect their gods then they can kill you for it.

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  12. @ luke wiley - shining, shimmering, splendid.

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  13. @ kyels - it's similar to manila but with lots of temples and with different language.

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  14. @ nanaybelen - that happened on march 21, 2006. news has it that the devotees did not know that the person is mentally-illed and that devotees mauled him in anger.

    sabi ng balita, iba raw kasi paniniwala ng mga Thai eh, ayaw nila na dinidisrespect yung mga Gods nila.

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  15. @ uno - well medyo for adults kasi yung post eh. wholesome kasi image ko tapos may ganung post kaya baka nagalit sila sakin. hehehe.

    about sa pagpatay, may version pa sa news na akala nila eh muslim fanatic yung nanira ng deity.

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  16. @ coldman - hayaan mo mag cre-create ako ng ibang blogsite for that lols.

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  17. @ bakhrian - thanks. i lke yellow too 'coz its sunny. my lawstude mark each photo is in yellow.

    more of a rainy holiday lols.

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  18. @ ifoundme - not really prayed but wished.

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  19. @ ever - hindi yata pero mixture yub ng plastic, gold, gems at fragments ng nabasag na deity.

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  20. @ fishing guy - thanks. bangkok really amazes me too.

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  21. Very lively views and interesting explanation.
    Bangkok must be really attractive.

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  22. I took this photo in my travel blog too during my last visit to Bangkok. It is really made of gold. Your photo of the dancers are lovely.

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  23. Colorful shrine and lovely dancers. Beautiful post Lawstude.

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  24. que cantidad de colorido y alegría se respira por estos paises.
    Un abrazo

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  25. interesting and once again very good post.

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  26. Oh my friend Lawstud

    I saw that you love flowers!!!
    Then, look it:

    TODAY'S FLOWERS!

    Post a flower in your blog and visit that blog above, and take part in this idea!

    Hope to see you there!

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  27. Apparently, I missed a great blog (yestereday)----or at least controversial---sorry I missed it....I am sorry you felt you had to remove it...that is why I love blogging...seeing parts of the world I will never see .....I like today's post with the statue.....I don't remember if there was any information in my newspaper about this...I vaguely remember something...nice it was repaired....

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  28. What an amazing set of photos you got, i like all of your blog that i have seen so far. Will come back more often

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  29. Never failed to visit this shrine whenever we visit Bangkok and we feel good and blessed too :D

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  30. shrines of any sort are always so ornately decorated, that you can feel the pain the people feel in constructing such a formidable structure

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  31. @ pietro - bangkok is really attractive with lots of temples and shrines. love the place.

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  32. @ alicesg - it's must see spot if you wanna wish good health and luck. i saw many tourists there too.

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  33. @ vanessa - thanks. the shrine is really glittering. it's the only place in my trip where i saw thais in native costumes. (other than the monks)

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  34. @ daniel j santos - it is another culture and very interesting at that.

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  35. @ luiz santilli jr - i will try my best to join. my mom loves flowers and i have featured orchids and some other flowers here too.

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  36. @ neva - a comment made in that post said it's despicable and irrespectful so i decided to remove it. it's not that i agree with the post but i guess it's better to remove it to maintain the GP rating of this blog lols.

    Thanks for the visit and taking the journey with me.

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  37. @ lilli and nevada - thank you very much. i appreciate your warm comment.

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  38. @ shionge - although Thai's have different beliefs, i believe that all out intentions are for the good of everybody. really a blessing to see the shrine.

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  39. @ mediterranean kiwi - some says its fanatical but i always believe that you can do no wrong if your intentions are good. God is for everyone regardless of race, creed or color.

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  40. what a somptuous set of pictures! the colours and the decorations are amazing!

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  41. This is another wonderful, informative and interesting post full of beautiful and colorful photos. Thanks for sharing!

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  42. We have here, plus a fantastic journey of journey's man.

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  43. ganda ng detail ng statue. tagal siguro matapos ang isa nyan.

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  44. Its really sad that the mentally illed person was killed. The incident really showed how fanatical some devotees can be.

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  45. thai people are kind dba..
    got few friends from thai
    and their culture is soo rich and amazing...

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  46. beaten to death?

    Im sure they cursed his soul as well... tsk tsk

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  47. kaya pala mukhang bago yung statue of God Brahma.

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  48. When I was in college, I dated a guy from Thailand. I'm not sure if he moved back or stayed in the States after he graduated.

    Your photos are lovely and remind me of the ones h used to show me. Thank you!

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  49. @ lara - Thais have a very colorful culture ang the offerings in the Shrine are really colorful too.

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  50. @ cathrine - thanks for the comment and the visit. ;-)

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  51. @ medam - you are very welcome and thank you for the nice words.

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  52. @ marcos santos - that's great. thanks.

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  53. @ the dong - yung bagong deity more than two months ginawa tapos talagang nasa timing yung pag install noon kasi mahalaga sa Thai culture yung numbers at elements.

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  54. @ vinzent - i agree but i also feel that it was a spun of the moment thing. thanks for the visit.

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  55. @ juz - i agree. they are friendly and always smiling.

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  56. @ kris jasper van dyke - yup, beaten to death. i just don't know if they cursed him, hopefully not.

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  57. @ redlan - its shining, shimmering and splendid. tapos may guard na sya lagi ngayon.

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  58. @ chris - wow, thais are known to be warm and hospitable people. glad i brought back memories - happy memories i hope.

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  59. Very beautiful. the costumes and the colors alway amaze me. MB

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  60. What a glitteringly beautiful sight this must be!

    Miss Mari-Nanci
    Smilnsigh
    Photos-City-Mine
    When Twilight Embraces

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  61. I've always wanted to visit Bangkok. Never got the chance although is the nearest country to my country! Hope to go there one day.

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  62. So cool to see! The colors are so intense* Thanks fo rshowing me around where you are, awesome sites captured perfectly as usual from you:)

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  63. great shots! bangkok is certainly colorful, a photographer's paradise.:D

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  64. Bello sanctuary and very sad end, I mean the event of the man who destroyed the statue and then was killed.
    Excellent photos!
    Thank you for sharing!
    Hug!
    BET

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  65. Oh yeah. I love the temples around Bangkok. Very historic.


    Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and leaving your comments.

    joy

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  66. kuya ang astig nyan ah!
    ganda ng pics.

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  67. makulay. parang sinabawang gulay.
    parang sa muslim areas dito sa mindanao.

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  68. wow bangkok, gusto ko din pumunta di pako nakakapunta. nice shot by the way. napakacolorful parang ang rich din ng culture nila:D

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  69. @ small city scenes - i love the colors of thai too. very vibrant. amazing culture really.

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  70. @ smilnsigh - the shrine reflects the rays of the sun so its colorful and shimmering.

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  71. @ stanley - you will definitely enjoy the place with lots of photo ops.

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  72. @ a - thanks. although i am not from thailand i am just glad to share my journeys with you. good luck on ur studies.

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  73. @ luna miranda - i couldn't agree more. lots of temples and gardens and the place is bustling with activities.

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  74. @ bet del mar - although their religion thrives on tolerance, thai people cannot allow their gods to be vandalized so maybe the killing of the perpetrator is some sort of a fit of anger from the devotees.

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  75. @ john - thanks for liking the set.

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  76. @ joy - it's diffrent from church hopping in the Philippines. Each temple in Bangkok is different.

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  77. @ ced - astig nga doc, salamat sa pagdalaw.

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  78. @ the islander - makulay nga. speaking of sabay, meron sila sikat na meal na tom yum, parang sinigang satin kaya lang mas maanghang yung sa kanila.

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  79. @ dailyphotographer - very rich ang culture nila and makukulay mga kasootan at marami temples.

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  80. sana naman di nila pinatulan yung mentally-illed person. tsk, tsk. sometimes people really find it hard to practice what they preach.

    ang dami kong na-miss dito kuya oman. i have to catch up on my reading. hehe

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  81. Iba talaga ang paniniwala ng mga Thais. bawal ngang tapakan ang kanilang pera dahil may mukha ng hari.Paano pa kaya kung babasagin yung imahe. Bumalik ka ba ng Bangkok? Nandito ako ngayon.

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  82. kawawa naman yung ma-ma..mentally illed nga e...sana pinatawad nlang nila...

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  83. @ beero - welcome back bro. di rin talaga natin maintindihan yung kultura ng ibang bansa. some labeled it as fanatical pero maybe nabigla din sila at napatay nila yung tao sa galit.

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  84. @ anino - that's a nice info. siguro we just have to respect their culture kasi mahirap din pag sa ibang bansa talaga. mga shots ko to when i was there last summer pero i wouldn't hesitate to go back
    there given a chance again.

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  85. @ rio - sana nga doc ganun eh pero baka napatay lang nila yun sa sobrang galit nila.

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  86. heehee. i did a double take when i saw the title of your post. one of the famous thai restos in tokyo is called erawan ;-)

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  87. wow, very colorful pics bro. That first picture looks really pretty. Fit for a calendar pic :)

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  88. The shrine is beautiful...what vivid, beautiful intense colors you've captured~your photos are amazing!
    Enjoy your day!
    Cat

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  89. @ caryn - hello and thanks for visiting my blog. maybe the name is inspired by thailand. are the foods spicy?

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  90. @ bw - good idea. maybe i could put that in the calendar i am preparing for next year.

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  91. @ catherine - thanks. the colors and glitters of the shrine is just so wonderful that a shooter could not go wrong with that.

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