Wat Jet Yod : Chiang Mai

Wat Jet Yod or Wat Bhodharam Maha Wiharn

The Castle-shape Chedi in which are buried the ashes of King Tilokalaga

This wat, situated down a left turn about a kilometre north of Chiang Mai, off the Super Highway Road. It has the usual whitewashed wall surrounding the compound, set amidst banana-leaf-roofed houses in a quiet rural district.

Its popular name, Wat Jet Yod, comes from the seven-spired chedi (Jet Yod = seven spired) in which are buried the ashes of King Tilokalaga. This king chose this site for a wat in 1455 and planted a bhodi tree, said to be taken from bhodi tree in Ceylon. in 1477 he called the Eighth World Buddhist Council Meeting which was held at this very spot. Thus, when he died in 1487, it was natural that he should be cremated here.

Wat Jed Yord is situated on the superhighway off Huay Kaew Road, near the Chiangmai National Museum. Built in 1455 by King Tilokaraja, its name means "Seven Spires" - a description of a jedee's construction. It was copied from the Mahabodi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India, where the Buddha achieved enlightenment. The larger jedee contains the ashes of King Tilokaraja.

source: www.geocities.com/RainForest

Technorati tags : Wat Jet Yod ,Chiang Mai ,wat thai,Thailand,thai temple