| WAT MAE NANG PLUM |
Wat Mae Nang Plum is situated off the city island in the northern area in Hua Ro
sub-district. The monastery is located near the water crossing of the (new) Pa Sak and
the (old) Lopburi Rivers, on the north bank of the (old) Lopburi, presently called Khlong
Mueang. Wat Phraw and Wat Mongkut were situated on its north side, while Wat Tha
Khlong was on its west. The temple is still in use by the Buddhist clergy. Following the
tamnan(1) history, this monastery is in existence since 1377.
The name of this temple is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya related to a
herd of elephants which showed up close to the monastery and were rounded up near
Wat Song around end 1548, begin 1549. [1] (2)
The monastery bears the name of a certain Lady Plum, an old woman being visited by
King Naresuan (r. 1590-1605) during one night, following a local legend. Van Vliet
describes the event in an account from 1640 - "The short history of the Kings of Siam".
[2] The story goes as follows:
One evening when His Majesty was on a perahu in the river, he was caught in a
great rainstorm before he was able to return to the palace. Consequently, he went
to a small house where an poor old woman lived and entered unrecognized with
great commotion. The woman was very frightened and said, "My son, don't you
know, that our King is often close by?" In reply His Majesty said vehemently,
"Mother, and so what if he should hear it? What would it matter if he kills me.
That would be my misfortune which strikes many people unexpectedly." The
woman fell at his feet and pleaded dejectedly that he not speak of the king in such
a way. She said, "The gods have provided us with His Majesty; therefore, he never
does things which are bad. He is an avenger of the gods and the implementer of
their sentences against our evil. We must obey those who have been placed here to
rule us ".
The more the woman tried to silence the king with such reasons, the more
vehemently His Majesty bellowed. Finally, the woman asked that he leave her
house because she did not want to become a party to his misdeeds. The king said
that he would, but first demanded a drink of arak because he had become cold
from the rain. The woman answered, "Son, you know of course that this is the fast
and that as long as it lasts, no one may buy or drink arak. But if you want dry
clothes such as those I am wearing, I will give them to you. I will wash and dry
what you have on. In the meantime go rest and sleep a little."
The king accepted the clothes offered to him, had his clothes washed and dried,
but would not desist from his wish for arak. He said that he did want to be bound
by the strict laws of the king. Finally, the woman filled a tiny little jug with arak.
She swore that she had bought the arak before the start of the fast and had not
drunk any of it since then. She offered it to the king and made him promise that he
would not report her to anyone. After he had drunk, the woman led him to her
little mat to sleep while she dried his washed clothes. When the king awoke, he put
on his dried clothes, thanked the woman, and said his farewells. The woman said,
"Son, remain here until daylight or go home with your boat quietly so that you do
not make too much noise for the king and have something evil befall you."
His Majesty answered, "I will do that," and left the old woman and her poor little
house. He then returned with his little perahu to his bodyguards, who were waiting
with their perahus not far from that little house.
The next day His Majesty sent a royal ceremonial perahu (on which was a small
pyramidal house) to the poor woman's simple little house where he had lodged at
night. This was the same perahu and the same little house that carried the king's
mother or first wife on great feast days. Besides this, the clothes which Their
Majesties had worn were also on board. He instructed to servants that after
presenting these clothes to the old woman, they were conduct her with the royal
perahu to court and bring her before him. When the old woman saw the royal
servants coming towards her, she became frightened and started trembling,
thinking that His Majesty had heard what happened in her home that night.
Although these servants reported why they had been sent, the woman could not
believe that she would remain unharmed. Furthermore, out of fear she beseeched
the servants in a pitiful manner to tell the king that she had died. Meanwhile she
wanted to save her life by fleeing to the monks. The servants, however, paid no
heed to the woman. Since she did not want to go willingly, they respectfully seized
her, clothed her, brought her on the perahu to court, and then presented her to the
king.
When His Majesty saw the woman, he took her by the hand and told her that he
was the person who had lodged and been cared for at her little house at night.
"And because in time of need you accepted me for your son," said the king,
"henceforth I will call you Mother and love you for this."
His Majesty ordered a place for the old woman in the palace, and had her served
and cared for till the end of her days as if she had been his own mother. At her
death she was also cremated as a queen.[2]
Following the tamnan history, this temple was repaired by King Naresuan and renamed
as Wat Mae Nang Plum, in commemoration of the old lady.
The monastery has the classical outfit of vihara, ubosot and chedi. The temple area has
been cut in two by the road leading from the city to the elephant kraal. On the south side
of the road are the monk's living quarters. In the ordination hall a beautiful Buddha image
called Phra Phor Khao or White Buddha can be seen.
The chedi of this monastery is built in a particular style. The base is surrounded with
decorative stucco lions, with exception of Wat Thammikarat, nowhere seen elsewhere in
Ayutthaya.
The decorative style was likely inspired on the northern Sukhothai style. Chedis with a
base of decorative elephants are seen in Sukhothai (Wat Chang Lom), Sri Satchanalai
(Wat Chang Lom) and Kamphaengphet (Wat Chang Rop). Some studies indicate that
the idea of decorating the base of the chedi with lions on a couple of temples in
Ayutthaya, should be attributed to King Borommaracha II (r. 1424-1448) after having
conquered Angkor in 1431. Following the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya he brought
images of lions and other creatures from Angkor, hence the inspiration. [3]
The main bell-shaped stupa of Wat Mae Nang Plum at par with Wat Maheyong built in
the reign of King Borommaracha II is estimated being constructed in the Early Ayutthaya
period and based on the Sukhothai style.
Wat Mae Nang Plum's stucco lions are different from the lions at Thammikarat. The
Khmer Bayon-styled lions from Wat Thammikarat seems here to be more "Thai-styled",
which could lead to the conclusion that the chedi at Wat Mae Nang Plum must have
been built or remodeled later than the caitya at Wat Thammikarat.
The monastery is indicated on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926 and
figures also on a mid-19th century map.
Footnotes:
(1) Tamnan is a term frequently used for documents dealing with the history of Buddhism
or particular Buddhist monuments. It came into existence well before the 15th century
and though it began to decline in the 17th century, its influence lasted until the 18th
century. Tamnan histories begin at the point when the Gautama Buddha made a vow to
reach enlightenment. [4]
(2) It is clear that most of the Chronicles of Ayutthaya has been written after the fall of
Ayutthaya. The monastery is following these chronicles already named Mae Nang Plum
during usurper King Worawongsa's reign (r. 1548), but following the tamnan's history
this temple was only renamed Mae Nang Plum by King Naresuan (r. 1590-1605),
somehow about sixty year later. The temple's original name remains unknown.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 24 / Source: Phan
Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal
Autograph.
[2] Van Vliet's Siam - Chris Baker, Dhiravat Na Pombejra, Alfons Van Der Kraan &
David K. Wyatt (2005) - page 230/231.
[3] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 15 /
Source: Luang Prasoet, Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat &
Royal Autograph.
[4] The Rise of Ayudhya - Charnvit Kasetsiri (1976).
sub-district. The monastery is located near the water crossing of the (new) Pa Sak and
the (old) Lopburi Rivers, on the north bank of the (old) Lopburi, presently called Khlong
Mueang. Wat Phraw and Wat Mongkut were situated on its north side, while Wat Tha
Khlong was on its west. The temple is still in use by the Buddhist clergy. Following the
tamnan(1) history, this monastery is in existence since 1377.
The name of this temple is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya related to a
herd of elephants which showed up close to the monastery and were rounded up near
Wat Song around end 1548, begin 1549. [1] (2)
The monastery bears the name of a certain Lady Plum, an old woman being visited by
King Naresuan (r. 1590-1605) during one night, following a local legend. Van Vliet
describes the event in an account from 1640 - "The short history of the Kings of Siam".
[2] The story goes as follows:
One evening when His Majesty was on a perahu in the river, he was caught in a
great rainstorm before he was able to return to the palace. Consequently, he went
to a small house where an poor old woman lived and entered unrecognized with
great commotion. The woman was very frightened and said, "My son, don't you
know, that our King is often close by?" In reply His Majesty said vehemently,
"Mother, and so what if he should hear it? What would it matter if he kills me.
That would be my misfortune which strikes many people unexpectedly." The
woman fell at his feet and pleaded dejectedly that he not speak of the king in such
a way. She said, "The gods have provided us with His Majesty; therefore, he never
does things which are bad. He is an avenger of the gods and the implementer of
their sentences against our evil. We must obey those who have been placed here to
rule us ".
The more the woman tried to silence the king with such reasons, the more
vehemently His Majesty bellowed. Finally, the woman asked that he leave her
house because she did not want to become a party to his misdeeds. The king said
that he would, but first demanded a drink of arak because he had become cold
from the rain. The woman answered, "Son, you know of course that this is the fast
and that as long as it lasts, no one may buy or drink arak. But if you want dry
clothes such as those I am wearing, I will give them to you. I will wash and dry
what you have on. In the meantime go rest and sleep a little."
The king accepted the clothes offered to him, had his clothes washed and dried,
but would not desist from his wish for arak. He said that he did want to be bound
by the strict laws of the king. Finally, the woman filled a tiny little jug with arak.
She swore that she had bought the arak before the start of the fast and had not
drunk any of it since then. She offered it to the king and made him promise that he
would not report her to anyone. After he had drunk, the woman led him to her
little mat to sleep while she dried his washed clothes. When the king awoke, he put
on his dried clothes, thanked the woman, and said his farewells. The woman said,
"Son, remain here until daylight or go home with your boat quietly so that you do
not make too much noise for the king and have something evil befall you."
His Majesty answered, "I will do that," and left the old woman and her poor little
house. He then returned with his little perahu to his bodyguards, who were waiting
with their perahus not far from that little house.
The next day His Majesty sent a royal ceremonial perahu (on which was a small
pyramidal house) to the poor woman's simple little house where he had lodged at
night. This was the same perahu and the same little house that carried the king's
mother or first wife on great feast days. Besides this, the clothes which Their
Majesties had worn were also on board. He instructed to servants that after
presenting these clothes to the old woman, they were conduct her with the royal
perahu to court and bring her before him. When the old woman saw the royal
servants coming towards her, she became frightened and started trembling,
thinking that His Majesty had heard what happened in her home that night.
Although these servants reported why they had been sent, the woman could not
believe that she would remain unharmed. Furthermore, out of fear she beseeched
the servants in a pitiful manner to tell the king that she had died. Meanwhile she
wanted to save her life by fleeing to the monks. The servants, however, paid no
heed to the woman. Since she did not want to go willingly, they respectfully seized
her, clothed her, brought her on the perahu to court, and then presented her to the
king.
When His Majesty saw the woman, he took her by the hand and told her that he
was the person who had lodged and been cared for at her little house at night.
"And because in time of need you accepted me for your son," said the king,
"henceforth I will call you Mother and love you for this."
His Majesty ordered a place for the old woman in the palace, and had her served
and cared for till the end of her days as if she had been his own mother. At her
death she was also cremated as a queen.[2]
Following the tamnan history, this temple was repaired by King Naresuan and renamed
as Wat Mae Nang Plum, in commemoration of the old lady.
The monastery has the classical outfit of vihara, ubosot and chedi. The temple area has
been cut in two by the road leading from the city to the elephant kraal. On the south side
of the road are the monk's living quarters. In the ordination hall a beautiful Buddha image
called Phra Phor Khao or White Buddha can be seen.
The chedi of this monastery is built in a particular style. The base is surrounded with
decorative stucco lions, with exception of Wat Thammikarat, nowhere seen elsewhere in
Ayutthaya.
The decorative style was likely inspired on the northern Sukhothai style. Chedis with a
base of decorative elephants are seen in Sukhothai (Wat Chang Lom), Sri Satchanalai
(Wat Chang Lom) and Kamphaengphet (Wat Chang Rop). Some studies indicate that
the idea of decorating the base of the chedi with lions on a couple of temples in
Ayutthaya, should be attributed to King Borommaracha II (r. 1424-1448) after having
conquered Angkor in 1431. Following the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya he brought
images of lions and other creatures from Angkor, hence the inspiration. [3]
The main bell-shaped stupa of Wat Mae Nang Plum at par with Wat Maheyong built in
the reign of King Borommaracha II is estimated being constructed in the Early Ayutthaya
period and based on the Sukhothai style.
Wat Mae Nang Plum's stucco lions are different from the lions at Thammikarat. The
Khmer Bayon-styled lions from Wat Thammikarat seems here to be more "Thai-styled",
which could lead to the conclusion that the chedi at Wat Mae Nang Plum must have
been built or remodeled later than the caitya at Wat Thammikarat.
The monastery is indicated on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926 and
figures also on a mid-19th century map.
Footnotes:
(1) Tamnan is a term frequently used for documents dealing with the history of Buddhism
or particular Buddhist monuments. It came into existence well before the 15th century
and though it began to decline in the 17th century, its influence lasted until the 18th
century. Tamnan histories begin at the point when the Gautama Buddha made a vow to
reach enlightenment. [4]
(2) It is clear that most of the Chronicles of Ayutthaya has been written after the fall of
Ayutthaya. The monastery is following these chronicles already named Mae Nang Plum
during usurper King Worawongsa's reign (r. 1548), but following the tamnan's history
this temple was only renamed Mae Nang Plum by King Naresuan (r. 1590-1605),
somehow about sixty year later. The temple's original name remains unknown.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman - page 24 / Source: Phan
Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal
Autograph.
[2] Van Vliet's Siam - Chris Baker, Dhiravat Na Pombejra, Alfons Van Der Kraan &
David K. Wyatt (2005) - page 230/231.
[3] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 15 /
Source: Luang Prasoet, Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat &
Royal Autograph.
[4] The Rise of Ayudhya - Charnvit Kasetsiri (1976).
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - September 2009. |
| (The ordination hall or ubosot) |
| (Entry through the kamphaeng kaew) |
| (Boundary stone or bai sema) |
| (Main chedi with stucco lions) |
| (Luang Phor Khao in ubosot) |
| (Buddha image inside vihara) |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Addendum
There was a boat ferry between the landing above the Maha Chai Fortress at the Hua Ro
corner across to the landing of Wat Mae Nang Plum. This landing on the city island was
also called Tha Khun Nang or the "Noblemen Landing" and was in fact the
second official landing.
In the Ayutthayan era there were twenty-two ferry routes between the main land and the
city island. The northern side had seven ferries. The six other crossings were: Tha
Nuea to Wat Khun Yuan, Tha Ma Ap Nam to Wat Choeng Tha, Tha Khan to Sala
Trawen, Tha Sip Bia to Wat Pho, Wat Tha Sai to Wat Rong Khong, Wat Song to Wat
Pa Khonthi. [1] See "The Boat & Ferry Landings of Ayutthaya".
References:
[1] อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยากับคำวินิจฉัยของพระยาโบราฌราชาธานินท์
ฉบับชำระครั้งที่๒และภูมิสถนกรุงศรีอยุธยา (2007) - Explanation of the map of the
Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd
edition and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office -
Nonthaburi (2007) - page 92.
There was a boat ferry between the landing above the Maha Chai Fortress at the Hua Ro
corner across to the landing of Wat Mae Nang Plum. This landing on the city island was
also called Tha Khun Nang or the "Noblemen Landing" and was in fact the
second official landing.
In the Ayutthayan era there were twenty-two ferry routes between the main land and the
city island. The northern side had seven ferries. The six other crossings were: Tha
Nuea to Wat Khun Yuan, Tha Ma Ap Nam to Wat Choeng Tha, Tha Khan to Sala
Trawen, Tha Sip Bia to Wat Pho, Wat Tha Sai to Wat Rong Khong, Wat Song to Wat
Pa Khonthi. [1] See "The Boat & Ferry Landings of Ayutthaya".
References:
[1] อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยากับคำวินิจฉัยของพระยาโบราฌราชาธานินท์
ฉบับชำระครั้งที่๒และภูมิสถนกรุงศรีอยุธยา (2007) - Explanation of the map of the
Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd
edition and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office -
Nonthaburi (2007) - page 92.
| Addendum by Tricky Vandenberg - May 2011 |