| WAT KA RONG |
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the western area in Ban Pom sub-district. The monastery stood on the south bank of the
present Chao Phraya River and in the immediate vicinity of Wat Tha.
Depending of which version of the Ayutthayan chronicles is consulted, sources speak
about Wat Ka Rong or Wat Tha Ka Rong or the "Monastery of the Landing of the
Crying Crow"; Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map of 1926 indicates clearly two monastic
structures being Wat Tha (the Monastery of the Landing) and Wat Ka Rong (the
Monastery of the Crying Crow). The two temples were eventually merged to establish
the present Wat Tha Ka Rong or the "Monastery of the Landing of the Crying Crow".
The Chronicles of Ayutthaya mention the temple's existence for the first time in the
mid-sixteenth century, but the monastery has been likely established much earlier.
Nothing much remains of Wat Ka Rong. On the site of the former monastery a
commemoration vihara has been erected covering an image of the Buddha. A statue of a
crow standing on top of what was once maybe a part of a toppled chedi, being now the
symbol of the modern-day Wat Tha Ka Rong.
The Royal Chronicles mention the Ka Rong temple quite a few times, as it was situated
close to the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Lopburi Rivers, and nearly opposite the
Grand Palace. When the Hongsawadi (Peguan) army invested Ayutthaya in 1549 the
area became a theater of war. The Peguans encircled Ayutthaya completely. The army of
the Phraya of Tongu, the army of the Lakhoeng, the commissariat, set up their stockade
from Ka Rong Monastery down to the Chai Wathanaram Monastery (1) The armies,
which were set up in a circle around the capital, in only one day finished making a
network of bridges of bamboo slats sewn with rattan across all the rivers, streams and
canals so the troops and horses could walk anywhere. [1]
The chronicles recount that Posuphla, the General of the Burmese Armies, at the end of
1766, sent soldiers to establish a stockade at the Monastery of the Crying Crow in order
to build tall forts with bastions, so that they could fire their large guns on the City of
Ayutthaya. The Siamese attacked the Burmese with a boat army. One of their leaders
was dancing with a sword in the hand in front of the boat, probably showing the Burmese
they were not feared and protected by occult incantations. Although he was shot at by
the Burmese and fell in the water, where upon the whole boat army retreated to the city.
[2]
The Burmese fort at Wat Ka Rong was one of the forts which started the last cannonade
of Ayutthaya. The Chronicles mention that on Tuesday, the 9th day of the waxing moon
at four o'clock in the afternoon, the large canons of the forts at the Tha Ka Rong
Monastery fired their deadly load on the Royal city, while at the same time combustibles
were set alight under the foundations of the defense walls at Hua Ro, besides the Maha
Chai Fort. The defense wall collapsed around eight o'clock in the evening and the
Burmese made their final assault. Ayutthaya fell that night, never to arise. [3]
Footnotes:
(1) The Ayutthayan chronicles mention here Wat Chai Wathanaram in the year 1549,
although the latter has been built in the 17th century. A proof that the Chronicles have
been written at a much later stage.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 47 / Source: Phan
Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal
Autograph.
[2] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 511 / Source: Phan
Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, & Royal Autograph.
[3] Ibid - page 520.
present Chao Phraya River and in the immediate vicinity of Wat Tha.
Depending of which version of the Ayutthayan chronicles is consulted, sources speak
about Wat Ka Rong or Wat Tha Ka Rong or the "Monastery of the Landing of the
Crying Crow"; Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map of 1926 indicates clearly two monastic
structures being Wat Tha (the Monastery of the Landing) and Wat Ka Rong (the
Monastery of the Crying Crow). The two temples were eventually merged to establish
the present Wat Tha Ka Rong or the "Monastery of the Landing of the Crying Crow".
The Chronicles of Ayutthaya mention the temple's existence for the first time in the
mid-sixteenth century, but the monastery has been likely established much earlier.
Nothing much remains of Wat Ka Rong. On the site of the former monastery a
commemoration vihara has been erected covering an image of the Buddha. A statue of a
crow standing on top of what was once maybe a part of a toppled chedi, being now the
symbol of the modern-day Wat Tha Ka Rong.
The Royal Chronicles mention the Ka Rong temple quite a few times, as it was situated
close to the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Lopburi Rivers, and nearly opposite the
Grand Palace. When the Hongsawadi (Peguan) army invested Ayutthaya in 1549 the
area became a theater of war. The Peguans encircled Ayutthaya completely. The army of
the Phraya of Tongu, the army of the Lakhoeng, the commissariat, set up their stockade
from Ka Rong Monastery down to the Chai Wathanaram Monastery (1) The armies,
which were set up in a circle around the capital, in only one day finished making a
network of bridges of bamboo slats sewn with rattan across all the rivers, streams and
canals so the troops and horses could walk anywhere. [1]
The chronicles recount that Posuphla, the General of the Burmese Armies, at the end of
1766, sent soldiers to establish a stockade at the Monastery of the Crying Crow in order
to build tall forts with bastions, so that they could fire their large guns on the City of
Ayutthaya. The Siamese attacked the Burmese with a boat army. One of their leaders
was dancing with a sword in the hand in front of the boat, probably showing the Burmese
they were not feared and protected by occult incantations. Although he was shot at by
the Burmese and fell in the water, where upon the whole boat army retreated to the city.
[2]
The Burmese fort at Wat Ka Rong was one of the forts which started the last cannonade
of Ayutthaya. The Chronicles mention that on Tuesday, the 9th day of the waxing moon
at four o'clock in the afternoon, the large canons of the forts at the Tha Ka Rong
Monastery fired their deadly load on the Royal city, while at the same time combustibles
were set alight under the foundations of the defense walls at Hua Ro, besides the Maha
Chai Fort. The defense wall collapsed around eight o'clock in the evening and the
Burmese made their final assault. Ayutthaya fell that night, never to arise. [3]
Footnotes:
(1) The Ayutthayan chronicles mention here Wat Chai Wathanaram in the year 1549,
although the latter has been built in the 17th century. A proof that the Chronicles have
been written at a much later stage.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 47 / Source: Phan
Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal
Autograph.
[2] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 511 / Source: Phan
Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, & Royal Autograph.
[3] Ibid - page 520.
| Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - July 2010 |
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| Then he conscripted and had all the army masters advance forward to establish stockades at the Monastery of the Gold Mountain, at the Village of the Fort and at the Monastery of the Crying Crow. He had then erect bastions and build forts so they were tall, take large and small guns up [into them] and fire them on into the Holy Metropolis. [2] |
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