Devasathan
{{Short description|Hindu temple in Bangkok}}
{{about|the main Hindu temple in Thailand|devasthana in general|Hindu temple}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Devasathan
| image = เทวสถาน (โบสถ์พราหมณ์) เขตพระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร (2).jpg
| alt =
| caption = The Divine Halls inside the Devasathan in Bangkok
| map_type = Thailand Bangkok
| map_caption = Location within Bangkok
| coordinates = {{coord|13|45|9.1368|N|100|30|2.1924|E|type:landmark_region:TH|display=title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = Thailand
| province = Bangkok
| district = Phra Nakhon
| location = 268, Ban Dinso Road, Sao Chingcha Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand
| elevation_m =
| festivals= Triyampawai ceremony
| architecture = Thai Architecture
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = 1784
| creator = Rama I
| website = [http://www.devsthana.com Devasthan]
}}
Devasathan ({{Langx|th|เทวสถานโบสถ์พราหมณ์}}; {{RTGS|Thewasathan Bot Phram}}; meaning 'the abode of the gods') or Royal Brahmin Office of Thai Royal Court ({{langx|th|สำนักพราหมณ์พระราชครูในสำนักพระราชวัง}}) is a Hindu temple near Wat Suthat in the Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand. The temple is the official centre of Hinduism in Thailand. The temple is the home of the Court Brahmins, who are descended from an ancient lineage of priests from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. The Brahmins perform many important royal and religious ceremonies for the Monarchy of Thailand every year. The temple was founded in 1784 by King Rama I, the founder of the Chakri dynasty.
Structures
{{see also | Sanskritisation | Greater India | Hinduism in Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Southeast Asia}}
The temple is enclosed by a white wall. The temple is dominated by three large rectangular buildings, on an East to West axis. Each of the three white structures is a shrine dedicated to a particular Hindu deity.
- Phra Isuan Shrine ({{lang|th|สถานพระอิศวร}}) – Shiva. The largest shrine is located to the south and is the centre of Shaivist worship. In the western end is an altar. Under a white canopy stands a large bronze statue of a blessing Shiva, on either side are statues of dancing Shivas. Other figures include those of Uma (Shiva's wife) and Nandi (Shiva's vehicle). In the middle stands two upright posts to which a small swing-seat is suspended on certain ceremonial occasions.{{Cite web |url=http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%e0%b8%aa%e0%b8%96%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%9e%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b0%e0%b8%ad%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%a8%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%a3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314141206/http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A3 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 14, 2018 |title=สถานพระอิศวร Devasthan Bangkok |language=th |access-date=2019-11-24}}
- Phra Phikkhanesuan Shrine ({{lang|th|สถานพระพิฆเนศวร}}) – Ganesha. The shrine is the one in the middle. The shrine contains five statues of sitting Ganesha, made of granite, sandstone, bronze and two of green stone.{{Cite web |url=http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%e0%b8%aa%e0%b8%96%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%9e%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b0%e0%b8%a1%e0%b8%ab%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%86%e0%b9%80%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%a8%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%a3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607202308/http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%86%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A3 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 7, 2019 |title=สถานพระมหาวิฆเนศวร Devasthan Bangkok |language=th |access-date=2019-11-24}}
- Phra Narai Shrine ({{lang|th|สถานพระนารายณ์}}) – Narayana or Vishnu. The shrine is located in the north and is the centre of Vaishnavist worship. The shrine contains a large statue of Vishnu and a smaller statue of Lakshmi and Bhūmi{{Cite web |url=http://www.hindumeeting.com/forum/index.php?topic=4592.0 |website=www.hindumeeting.com |title=หัวข้อ: พระมเหศวรี |access-date=2019-11-24}} (Vishnu's wife).{{Cite web |url=http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%e0%b8%aa%e0%b8%96%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%9e%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b0%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a2%e0%b8%93%e0%b9%8c |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531212409/http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%93%E0%B9%8C |url-status=usurped |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |title=สถานพระนารายณ์ Devasthan Bangkok |language=th |access-date=2019-11-24}} In the middle stands two upright posts to which a small swing-seat is suspended on certain ceremonial occasions.
- A small outdoor shrine to Phra Phrom Shrine ({{lang|th|ศาลท้าวมหาพรหม}}) – Brahma. Similar in appearance to the Erawan Shrine.{{Cite web |url=http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%e0%b9%80%e0%b8%97%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a5%e0%b8%b1%e0%b8%a2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606125212/http://www.devasthan.org/newweb/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A2 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 6, 2019 |title=เทวาลัย Devasthan Bangkok |language=th |access-date=2019-11-24}}
- The Giant Swing, is located outside in front of the temple, it was once used for a ceremony called the Triyamphway Ceremony (Triyampavai-Tripavai). The ceremony was discontinued in 1935.
See also
{{Commons category|Devasathan}}
References
;Cites
{{Reflist}}
;Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=Quaritch Wales |first=H. G. |authorlink=Horace Geoffrey Quaritch Wales |url=https://archive.org/details/siamesestatecere030661mbp |title=Siamese State Ceremonies: Their History and Function |year=1931 |publisher=Routledge |location=London, United Kingdom |isbn=0853880077 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/siamesestatecere030661mbp/page/n73 54]–63 }}
External links
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128005333/http://www.devasthan.org/index_king.html Official Website of the Devasathan]}}
{{Visitor attractions in Bangkok}}
Category:Hindu temples in Thailand
Category:Religious buildings and structures in Bangkok
Category:Architecture in Thailand
Category:1784 establishments in Siam
Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1784