For those discerning tourists starved of heritage destinations, Ayutthaya, the one-time capital of Siam in central Thailand, is a very feasible tourist destination. Not too many people in India know about this historic city of Thailand.
In other words, when it comes to exploring the enchanting heritage monuments across South-East Asia, there's no better place than the fabled city of Ayutthaya. Famed as Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, it is a little far away from Bangkok and has been figured in UNESCO's list of world heritage site since 1991.
An unexpected invitation from the Tourism Authority of Thailand allowed me an unforgettable experience of this land. My travels across Thailand took me to Ayutthaya, the old Thai capital, which basks in it rich architectural grandeur.
The ancient Thai metropolis of Ayutthaya comprises 16 districts spread over 2,556.6 sq km area and is one of the best known tourist destinations. The city's name is derived from Ayodhya. In the 17th century, it prospered with traders pouring in from far-off Europe, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent. The historic city was the creation of the Thai king, U-Thong, who established it in 1767.
History and culture
We reached the Ayutthaya Tourist Office, located in the heart of the city, at a time when it was in the midst of its Songkran celebration. We poured holy water on the idol of Buddha that was installed at the entry point of the tourist office. Then, we set about interacting with locals and soaking up the festive spirit. Locals and elephants splashed water about; the whole experience was very much like the festival of holi. There were even Thoet Thoeng drum processions, the beats of which the locals could be seen jiving to.
Next, we visited some timeless heritage sites in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Our premier spot was Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit — a huge sanctuary honouring a tall, century-old bronze image of Lord Buddha. The image was installed during the regime of the Thai king Songtham, and is one of the largest images of Buddha in bronze, in Thailand.
According to popular belief, the lord fulfils the wishes of his devotees on the auspicious day of songkran. After seeking blessings from the lord, we took a round of the temple.
Our next stopover was Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the most remarkable monastery in the city.
Once a residential palace, the royal chapel is in the Grand Palace compound. It is much like Wat Pho, the most sacred of Buddhist shrines in Bangkok. There are three towering chedis or pyramid-style stupas that are artistically aligned and form the prime attractions of Ayutthaya.
During the golden period of Ayutthaya, the royal shrine of Wat Phra Si Sanphet was renowned in Asia for its brilliant architecture. Our guide explained, "Usually a chedi displays Burmese architecture at its base; the upper tiers depict the Thai style.
The city was under the reign of different royal dynasties of Thailand and was eventually plunged by the Burmese Attack of 1767." The spectacular ruined structures in the city portray the rampant invasions of Burmese rulers. Passing though the ruins, the travellers are reminded of a glorious bygone era.
Thai tastes
Soon, it was time for lunch and we rushed to get a taste of original Thai cuisine. The city of Ayutthaya has a string of restaurants serving Thai, Chinese and Korean platters. We settled at Phae Krung Kao, an enchanting riverside restaurant in the downtown area of U-Thong Road, which specialised in Thai cuisine.
We savoured some Thai vegetarian delicacies like mushroom soup, jasmine rice, coconut curry, lotus curry and morning glory. At Ayutthaya, one can even sample local treats like roti sai mai, which is candyfloss wrapped in flat bread.
In other words, when it comes to exploring the enchanting heritage monuments across South-East Asia, there's no better place than the fabled city of Ayutthaya. Famed as Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, it is a little far away from Bangkok and has been figured in UNESCO's list of world heritage site since 1991.
An unexpected invitation from the Tourism Authority of Thailand allowed me an unforgettable experience of this land. My travels across Thailand took me to Ayutthaya, the old Thai capital, which basks in it rich architectural grandeur.
The ancient Thai metropolis of Ayutthaya comprises 16 districts spread over 2,556.6 sq km area and is one of the best known tourist destinations. The city's name is derived from Ayodhya. In the 17th century, it prospered with traders pouring in from far-off Europe, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent. The historic city was the creation of the Thai king, U-Thong, who established it in 1767.
History and culture
We reached the Ayutthaya Tourist Office, located in the heart of the city, at a time when it was in the midst of its Songkran celebration. We poured holy water on the idol of Buddha that was installed at the entry point of the tourist office. Then, we set about interacting with locals and soaking up the festive spirit. Locals and elephants splashed water about; the whole experience was very much like the festival of holi. There were even Thoet Thoeng drum processions, the beats of which the locals could be seen jiving to.
Next, we visited some timeless heritage sites in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Our premier spot was Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit — a huge sanctuary honouring a tall, century-old bronze image of Lord Buddha. The image was installed during the regime of the Thai king Songtham, and is one of the largest images of Buddha in bronze, in Thailand.
According to popular belief, the lord fulfils the wishes of his devotees on the auspicious day of songkran. After seeking blessings from the lord, we took a round of the temple.
Our next stopover was Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the most remarkable monastery in the city.
Once a residential palace, the royal chapel is in the Grand Palace compound. It is much like Wat Pho, the most sacred of Buddhist shrines in Bangkok. There are three towering chedis or pyramid-style stupas that are artistically aligned and form the prime attractions of Ayutthaya.
During the golden period of Ayutthaya, the royal shrine of Wat Phra Si Sanphet was renowned in Asia for its brilliant architecture. Our guide explained, "Usually a chedi displays Burmese architecture at its base; the upper tiers depict the Thai style.
The city was under the reign of different royal dynasties of Thailand and was eventually plunged by the Burmese Attack of 1767." The spectacular ruined structures in the city portray the rampant invasions of Burmese rulers. Passing though the ruins, the travellers are reminded of a glorious bygone era.
Thai tastes
Soon, it was time for lunch and we rushed to get a taste of original Thai cuisine. The city of Ayutthaya has a string of restaurants serving Thai, Chinese and Korean platters. We settled at Phae Krung Kao, an enchanting riverside restaurant in the downtown area of U-Thong Road, which specialised in Thai cuisine.
We savoured some Thai vegetarian delicacies like mushroom soup, jasmine rice, coconut curry, lotus curry and morning glory. At Ayutthaya, one can even sample local treats like roti sai mai, which is candyfloss wrapped in flat bread.