AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH



WAT MAHEYONG





Wat Maheyong is located outside the city island in the Hantra Sub-district of Ayutthaya, which is part of the ancient area of Ayothya, inhabited before the establishment of Ayutthaya in 1351 CE. This ancient Ayothya community was situated on the stretch of land formed by Khlong Hantra, Khlong Ban Bat, Khlong Kramang and the Pa Sak River.


History


Following the Luang Prasoet chronicles, the monastery was built in 1438 CE at the start of the reign of King Borommaratcha II (1424-1448 CE) of the Suphannaphum Dynasty (also known as Chao Sam Phraya). Later Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya (written after the fall of Ayutthaya) changed that date and put the temple's construction in 1424 CE, a year generally accepted as King Borommaratcha's throne ascendancy.


"In 800 [Chulasakarat], a year of the horse, when King Boromracha II had built the Maheyong Monastery he ascended the royal throne." [1]


The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya mention that Chao Phraya Maha Sena had his stockade set up in the Hantra plains during the war with Burma in 1563-1564 CE. His stockade was attacked by the Burmese troops of the Maha Uparat, but he was able to withstand the first attack. In the second attack, he had to give terrain and was driven with his men into the Hantra Canal (where many wounded drowned) and crossed over to the Maheyong Monastery.


“The King of Hongsawadi commanded that the Maha Uparacha be ordered to approach and take the stockades on the Hantra Plain so that plans could be made for approaching Ayutthaya. At dawn on the next day, Tuesday, the third day of the waning moon in the fourth month, the Maha Uparacha took his soldiers to attack the stockade of Caophraya Maha Sena. Caophraya Maha Sena and his officers fought capably and the enemy was unable to take it by storm. The Maha Uparacha was displeased. Turning his elephant to stand directly in front of, and about three sen from, the stockade, he had it announced to his officers that, "If you do not take the stockade at this time, I will cut off your heads and have them impaled." The officers were afraid and, driving the massed soldiers carrying swords and shields in to reinforce the attack, they were able to take the stockade by storm. Caophraya Maha Sena, his officers and his men fled into the canal and crossed over to the Maheyong Monastery side. Those of the wounded who drowned in the water were numerous. The Maha Uparacha returned with the army to his stockade. Then he went to an audience with the King of Hongsawadi and made his report on all the particulars involved in the conquest of the stockade.” [2]


During the Burmese war in 1568-1569 CE, the main army of King Bayinnaung was encamped at the Maheyong Monastery. He set up his pavilion at the temple, and it was here that King Mahin of Ayutthaya (King Mahinthrathirat) (reign 1568-1569 CE) presented himself to the Burmese King after the fall of the capital on 30 August 1569 CE. King Mahin and the royal family were taken captive and brought to Pegu. Maha Thammaracha of Phitsanulok, who joined forces with Bayinnaung against Ayutthaya, was set up as king. King Mahin died of fever on the way to Burma. “As soon as his army and naval forces were all assembled, the King of Hongsawadi issued orders for all his forces to lay siege to the Capital: The army of the Uparat and the army of Prince Thammaracha to the front ramparts in the east, the army of the King of Ava to encamp to the south, the armies of the Phraya of Thala, of the Thai Yai princes and of the Chiang Mai phraya, sæn and luang to encamp to the west, and the armies of the Phraya of Bassein, of the Phraya of Tòngu, of Phraya Aphaikhamani, of the Phraya of Lao, the ruler of Martaban, Phraya Phataba and Phraya Phataboet to encamp to the north. The main army itself moved in to encamp at Maheyong Monastery.” [3]


“At that moment the Uparat and Prince Thammaracha proceeded in and halted their royal elephants in front of the Royal Palace. So King Mahin, Lord of the Realm, seeing that Ayutthaya had fallen to the King of Hongsawadi, proceeded forth with his royal palanquin to Prince Thammaracha in front of the Royal Palace. So the Uparat and Prince Thammaracha escorted King Mahin, Lord of the Realm, out to be presented to the King of Hongsawadi at his pavilion at Maheyong Monastery.” [4]


Wat Maheyong underwent significant restoration in the reign of King Thai Sra (1709-1732 CE). The restoration started in 1709 CE, and it took more than three years to complete it. The King had a royal residence built south of the temple to follow its restoration and administered royal affairs from that place. After the temple's restoration in 1713 CE, it was dedicated and celebrated with a week-long festival. Wat Maheyong, restored and enlarged, became one of the most significant monasteries before the fall of Ayutthaya.


"In that year of the ox, first of the decade, [1709 CE] a holy royal command was issued to have artisans restore the Monastery of the Mound. His Majesty constantly went in holy royal procession to have the artisans perform the work on that monastery. Occasionally, however, His Majesty stayed at a holy residence beside the Monastery of the Mound, sometimes for one month, sometimes for two months, and administered royal affairs in that place. It was more than three years before that monastery was completely finished." [5]


"In that year of the serpent, fifth of the decade, [1713] the King had the Monastery of the Mound dedicated. The King manifested His holy royal faith by performing holy royal acts of merit in great numbers and by making holy royal gifts of the paraphernalia of the eight requisites and of a variety of alms goods to one thousand holy clerics, following holy royal tradition in the past a festival was held to celebrate for seven days to finish and complete that dedication." [6]





Architecture


Wat Maheyong consists basically of a large, eastern-orientated ubosot or ordination hall, a main chedi, several minor chedis and an enclosure. The monastery is situated on an artificial mound with a canal on the west side and a moat on two sides. The ponds in the east were dug to construct the mound to elevate the monastery above the water level in the flood season.


The large ordination hall is rectangle-shaped, 17 metres wide and 35 metres long. There is a passageway at the east gate leading to its entry. The ordination hall is surrounded by an inner boundary wall, 38 metres wide and 72 metres long, topped with small chedis at each of the corners. The ubosot covers half the ground enclosed by the inner boundary wall. There are three doors and an extended portico in the main front, and the wall behind the Buddha pedestal is broken up by two doors and an extended portico at the back. The central entrance doorway is larger than the others. Two rows of columns are employed to support the roof and divide off two aisles. The walls are very thick, with deep door and window embrasures. Walls and columns taper towards the top, a characteristic feature of Thai architecture. There are in total six windows, three on each side. Inside are two large pedestals and fragmented sandstone Buddha images. As custom in earlier times, Buddha images were first made from sandstone, coated with stucco, lacquered, and finished with gold leaf (see, for example, the multiple Buddha images at Wat Chai Watthanaram). The hall was renovated in the late Ayutthaya period, as can be seen in the foundations which slightly curve in the middle of its length (junk-style), typical for that period. The ubosot is demarcated by double sema boundary stones (leaf-shaped flat thick stone plates, usually made of slate, bordering the sacred area at the eight cardinal points), an indication of Royal temples, although likely dating to the Rattanakosin period.


On the west side of the ordination hall lies the principal chedi. The original chedi broke down, and part of its many-tiered umbrella roof (chattra) or spire can still be seen on the ground. The bell-shaped reliquary tower rests on a square base with sides of 32 metres. The base is decorated with eighty elephant figures (Buddha Siddharta Gautama entered the parinirvana at the age of eighty) about one metre high, twenty on each side, ten left and right of every staircase. The elephants' trunks have mostly disappeared, and their bodies have been heavily restored. Its convex, dome-shaped bell, the square harmika atop the dome and the form of the chattra (the honorific umbrella) above the harmika are all evidence of the Sinhalese style. The design is reminiscent of Chedi Chang Lom in Sukhothai, which has similar elephant decorations, reflecting the Sinhalese tradition of Buddhist architecture (1).


At the intercardinal directions around the principal chedi are four bell-shaped subordinate chedis. Between the corridor and the north and south outer walls are an octagonal and bell-shaped chedi and a vihara. The quadrangular outer wall measures 95 metres on 214 metres and has four large, roofed gate entrances in late Ayutthaya style. To the west, outside the enclosure, are three other Singalese-styled chedis. To the south lies Tamnak Maheyong, or the "Royal Residence of Maheyong", built by King Thai Sra (Phumintharacha) to follow the renovation of Wat Maheyong from close by.


The denomination of Wat Maheyong is a Siamese derivative of Mahiyanga. [7]


Mahiyanga(naya) was an ancient site in the present Uva Province of Sri Lanka, situated 42 Km east of Kandy on the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga river. It was in Mahiyanga that the Buddha Siddhartha Gauthama hovered in the air on his first visit to Lanka in the ninth month after his Enlightenment to frighten the Yakshas. Maha Sumana built there a shrine seven cubits in diameter, all of sapphire, and containing the hair given to him by the Buddha. After the Buddha's death, Sarabhu, a disciple of Sariputta, brought there the collar bone of the Buddha, which he deposited in the stupa, increasing the height of the stupa to twelve cubits. The stupa, following the legend, the first stupa of Lanka, was raised many times after that. The stupa is still in existence. [8]


The restored ruin of Wat Maheyong is in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 49.44" N, 100° 35' 41.99" E.


Footnotes:


(1) What should be noted is the construction of a chedi at Wat Maheyong, instead of the popular prang of the early Ayutthaya period (1351-1488 CE), seen at Wat Phutthaisawan, Wat Phra Ram, Wat Maha That and Wat Racha Burana, all in Ayutthaya. Could it be possible that Wat Maheyong dates to a later period? Wat Maheyong is undoubtedly not alone in having featured a 'chedi chang lom' (chedi surrounded by elephants). Wat Chang, south of Wat Maheyong, once had its main chedi surrounded by elephants, as well as Wat Hatsadawat, Wat Maha That and Wat Racha Burana. The 'chedi chang lom' is an element of the Sukhothai art (See Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai and Sri Satchanalai), said to be brought to Ayutthaya by King Borommaratcha II, who had a Sukhothai princess as a consort. [Leksukhum, Santi]





References:


[1] Cushman, Richard D. & Wyatt, David K. (2006). The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. Bangkok: The Siam Society. p.15.

[2] Ibid. p. 36.

[3] Ibid. p. 61.

[4] Ibid. pp. 73-4.

[5] Ibid. p. 404.

[6] Ibid. p. 405.

[7] Carter, Arthur Cecil (1904). The Kingdom of Siam. New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons. p 219. [8] Vipassana.info/ma/mahiyangana.htm - data retrieved 14 February 2012.


Consulted works:


1. Charnvit Kasetsiri & Michael Wright (2007). Discovering Ayutthaya. Toyota Thailand Foundation. pp. 104-5.

2. Tourism Authority of Thailand (2000). Ayutthaya: A world heritage. Bangkok: Darnsutha Co. Ltd. pp. 108-9.

3. Art-and-archaeology.com/seasia/ayutthaya (www).



GROUND PLAN OF WAT MAHEYONG





Reference: Krom Sinlapakorn (1968), Phra Rachawang lae Wat Boran nai Jangwat Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya (Fine Arts Department).





The Phutthawat area is surrounded by a rectangular wall, 214 metres long and 85.20 metres wide, with entrance gates on all four sides. The important things in the plan are the following:

No. 1: Khok Pho is a mound located east of the Phutthawat, almost square in shape, 58 metres long and 50 metres wide. It is the location of the pavilion of the King of Hongsawadi, Tabinshwehti. Later King Thai Sra renovated this temple. He would have built a small pagoda or other building. The monks noticed that there were many places of low ground, similar to pagodas, with a lot of brick and tile foundations. Rem: This mound is called ‘Khok Phama’ on the 1993 CE Fine Arts Department map.

No. 2: A pond, square-shaped, about 40 metres wide on each side, located next to Khok Pho to the west. Probably a pond that was used by digging the ground to elevate temples and current roads. In the dry season, the water dries up and is very shallow.

No. 3: Path to the Phutthawat area, starting from Khok Pho, to enter the east-arched gate. Passing through the arched entrance, there is a corridor with walls on both sides. This corridor, about 2.90 metres wide, leads to the ubosot. The wall separating this corridor is slightly damaged and probably restored in the reign of King Thai Sra.

No. 4: Two chedis on the east side of the ordination hall are Lanka-style chedis. They are located on a square base, 10 metres wide on each side. The base of the chedi supports the mouth of the bell and has an octagonal shape with a diameter of 8.00 metres—the edge of the bell consists of five concentric layers. The throne is square. Only a part is left of the umbrella, while the top part is damaged.

No. 5: Two viharas located northeast and southeast of the Phutthawat. Only the foundation remains, 6.40 metres wide and 12.80 metres long. They are surrounded by a rectangular wall, 21.60 metres wide and 27.20 metres long.

No. 6: The ordination hall is 18 metres wide and 36.80 metres long, with a porch at the front and back. There are three entrance doors east, two square windows with a size of 1.10 by 2.40 metres west and six windows (three on the north side and three on the south). Inside the ubosot, there are two (Chukchi) pedestals. The principal image of the Buddha is in sandstone and broken down into parts. This ubosot has two layers of walls the corners of each layer are collapsing. At the corners of the outer wall, there are small pagodas in Lanka style. The outer wall has a width of 38 metres and a length of 72 metres. The boundary stones (Bai Sema) are made of green stone, 20 cm thick, 1.00 metres wide and 2.00 metres high.

No. 7: Chedi on the west side of the Viharas is located on a square base 12 metres wide, with a twelve-rabbeted-angled terrace and 2.80 metres high. The mouth of the bell is an octagonal shape, with upside-down lotuses up to five levels. The fifth level has vine patterns and Singha patterns at the corners. The mouth of the bell has three concentric layers. The third layer is decorated with lotus petals. There is a staircase on the east side. The bell is in Lanka-Style and counted as a pagoda in the late Ayutthaya period. It is understood that the chedis must have been built or restored in the reign of King Thai Sra.

No. 8: Five minor Lanka-style pagodas set on a square base inside the Phutthawat area outside the Phutthawat area on the west side, three pagodas, all of which have a base width of approximately 10 metres, still clearly visible but slightly damaged.

No. 9: Chedi Chang Lom set on a square base, 32 metres long on each side, decorated with elephants all around. Each elephant is 1.05 metres high and is decorated, 80 cm apart from the other. There are stairs to worship on all four sides. The chedi, from the middle part of the bell, has been broken for a long time. No. 10: Temple mound. The area is high and not flooded. It may have been the location of the king's royal residence at the time of the renovation of this temple because the chronicles state that the pavilion was located on the edge of the temple, or it could have been the monks' living quarters (sangkhawat area). Rem: Today, we know that the royal residence stood south, opposite the moat of Wat Maheyong.


Selected PICTURES



MAPS



Map 1 - Detail of a 1916 CE Monthon Krung Kao map.
Map 2 - Detail of a 1974 CE Fine Arts Department map. Courtesy Dr Surat Lertlum, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.
Map 3 - Detail of a 1993 CE Fine Arts Department map. Courtesy Khun Supot Prommanot, Director of the 3rd Regional Office of Fine Arts.



Map 4 - Detail of a 2007 Fine Arts Department GIS map. Courtesy of the Fine Arts Department. 3rd Region.
Map 5 - Google Earth.



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HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA



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