| WAT CHATTHAN (วัดฉัตรทัน) |
Wat Chatthan was situated on the city island in Pratu Chai sub-district. The monastery
was situated on the west bank of Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak - Pratu Jin and in close
vicinity of the Bhramin shrines and the Chikun Bridge.
The name of the temple is derived from Chattban, or Chaddanta, a king of elephants,
who, according to Siamese legends, lives in a golden palace on the shores of the
Himalayan lake Chatthan (one of the seven lakes of Himaphan or Himalaya), attended by
eighty thousand ordinary elephants. Burnouf applied the term Erawan or Airavana to a
one-headed elephant, and considered the three-headed elephant to be Chatthan, which
he identified as Chaddanta, the elephant of six defences or tusks. Erawan, the
three-headed elephant of Indra is often represented on the gables of Thai temples. [1]
The temple is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. In December 1765
(January 1766) a heavy fire broke out on a late Friday night at Tha Sai (Sand Landing)
and spread south along Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak via the Elephant Bridge (Saphan
Chang) towards Wat Racha Burana and Wat Maha That to finally stop at Wat Chatthan.
The Royal Chronicles mentioned that over ten thousand monastic structures and houses
were destroyed. [2]
Its historical background and period of construction are unknown. The site is indicated
on a map drafted in the mid-19th century and on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map
drafted in 1926.
References:
[1] The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - page 295.
[2] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 514 /
Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat & Royal Autograph.
was situated on the west bank of Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak - Pratu Jin and in close
vicinity of the Bhramin shrines and the Chikun Bridge.
The name of the temple is derived from Chattban, or Chaddanta, a king of elephants,
who, according to Siamese legends, lives in a golden palace on the shores of the
Himalayan lake Chatthan (one of the seven lakes of Himaphan or Himalaya), attended by
eighty thousand ordinary elephants. Burnouf applied the term Erawan or Airavana to a
one-headed elephant, and considered the three-headed elephant to be Chatthan, which
he identified as Chaddanta, the elephant of six defences or tusks. Erawan, the
three-headed elephant of Indra is often represented on the gables of Thai temples. [1]
The temple is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. In December 1765
(January 1766) a heavy fire broke out on a late Friday night at Tha Sai (Sand Landing)
and spread south along Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak via the Elephant Bridge (Saphan
Chang) towards Wat Racha Burana and Wat Maha That to finally stop at Wat Chatthan.
The Royal Chronicles mentioned that over ten thousand monastic structures and houses
were destroyed. [2]
Its historical background and period of construction are unknown. The site is indicated
on a map drafted in the mid-19th century and on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map
drafted in 1926.
References:
[1] The Wheel of the Law - Alabaster Henry (1871) - page 295.
[2] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 514 /
Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat & Royal Autograph.
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| Text & maps by Tricky Vandenberg - January 2010 Reviewed - January 2011 |
| (Extract of a begin-20th century map) |
| (Extract of a mid-19th century map) |