Wat Mahathat was built during the 14th century in Ayuthaya, Thailand, the second capital of Siam (Thailand). In 1767, Burmese invaders destroyed the city and its magnificent temples. They vandalized many of the Buddha statues in Ayutthaya by lopping off the heads. The area remained abandoned and overgrown for nearly 200 years.
How the Buddha head became entwined in the roots of this banyan tree is one of history’s mysteries. Several theories have been proposed. The explanation I like is the miracle theory: a divine hand caused a tree to grow in a way that lifted the desecrated Buddha image from the ground. It certainly seems miraculous that the tree grew in the exact manner required so image faces forward and is perfectly aligned vertically.
None of the explanatory theories account for the fact that Banyan trees have aerial roots that grow downward. That would appear to make it difficult for growing roots to lift the head from the ground and adds further to the mystery of the Wat Mahathat Buddha head.
Today the stone Buddha head can be seen nestled in the tree roots not far from the entrance of Wat Mahathat.
Sculpture Saturday is a challenge hosted by Susan Kelly at No Fixed Plans.
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One of my favorite places!
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It is incredible. I wish I could have seen Ayutthaya back in the day.
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Wow, this is a very unique sculpture! It´s just amazing how the roots allow to see the Buddha´s face.
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I would like to know how the roots grew so perfectly around the Buddha’s head, but no matter how it happened, it’s incredibly cool.
Thanks for joining!
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that is quite an interesting sculpture, and story to go with it!
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We can make up any thing, right.
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yes we can 🙂
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oooh yes I’ve seen this one! very cool indeed!
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Agreed. Makes one wonder.
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What an interesting sculpture to come across. Loved the theory to explain how it got here!
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The way the tree displays the Buddha figure seems miraculous.
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Ah, I LOVED Ayutthaya and, funnily enough, I’m going to be working on an article about the historical park at some point in the coming weeks. Wat Mahathat is a wondrous complex and that Buddha head… magical stuff. Thanks for reminding me.
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Oh cool! I was last in Ayutthaya about seven years ago. There is much to report on. I will read your post(s) with great interest.
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That image of the Buddha swallowed by a tree conjures so many stories, both told and untold. It reminds me of Merlin, whom Morgan le Fay imprisoned within a giant oak. Also, it reminds me of science fiction and fantasy stories set in the ruins of fallen civilizations. The actual story behind the photo is interesting, too!
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There are certainly many ways to interpret the Buddha in the tree. One thing I feel certain of is that it is a natural phenomenon not one intentionally created by someone. John
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Of course! I didn’t mean to imply that anyone would be so disrespectful either to the statute or to the tree.
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I like your theories and comparisons. Some people might think that someone at some point placed the head in the root system to make it appear the way it does today. I wonder how the Buddha figure will look as the tree and root system continues to grow. Thanks for your comments.
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Omg this is such a spectacular picture and story John!!
🌷🌷💖
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It was nice of Mother Nature to save the Buddha head after the temples were destroyed.
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Such a blessing to my soul and all of ours! 💖
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