Wat Phothivihan – The Thrifty Traveller

I have visited a number of Reclining Buddha statues over the years and I thought it would be interesting to find out how many more are out there. The answer is a lot!

I have trawled the internet to see if there is a definitive list but there doesn’t seem to be one. That could be because there are so many of these statues. I started to piece together a list but gave up when I reached 30 as I kept finding new ones. The following is as far as I got, ranked in order of size (length). Needless to say there are very many omissions and errors.

Yiyang County, Jiangxi, China – Length 416m
Win Sein Taw Ya, Mudon, Myanmar – 180m
Lawka Tharaphu Pagoda, Dawei, Myanmar – 75m
Great Reclining Buddha, Monywa, Myanmar – 90m
Chauk Htet Gyi Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar – 66m
Mya Tha Lyaung, Bago, Myanmar – 58m
Shwethalyaung Buddha, Bago, Myanmar – 55m
Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang, Samut Prakan, Thailand – 53m
Hoi Khanh Pagoda, Binh Duong, Vietnam – 52m
Thich Ca Nhap Niet Ban, Phan Thiet, Vietnam – 52m
Wat Khun Inthapramun, Ang Thong, Thailand – 50m
Galagoda Temple, Sri Lanka – 50m
Wat Phra Non Chaksi, Singburi, Thailand – 46m
Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand – 46m
Nanzoin Temple, Fukuoka, Japan – 41m
Wat Xieng Khuan, Vientiane, Laos – 40m
Wat Phothivihan, Kelantan, Malaysia – 40m
Wat Lokayasutharam, Ayutthaya, Thailand – 37m
Wat Hat Yai Nai, Hatyai, Thailand – 35m
Wat Chaiyamangalaram, Penang, Malaysia – 33m
Manuha Temple, Bagan, Myanmar – 27m
Wat pamok Worawihan, Ang Thong, Thailand – 23m
Mahavihara Mojopahit, Trowulan, Java, Indonesia – 22m
Dazu Rock Carvings, Szechuan, China – 20m
Jorakuzan Mantokuji Temple, Takayama, Japan – 16m
Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, Ayutthaya, Thailand – 15m
Gal Viharaya, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka – 14m
Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai, Thailand – 9m
Shinnyo-en Ogen’in Temple, Tachikawa, Japan – 5m
Gua Charas, Pahang, Malaysia – 3m

Finally, the smallest reclining Buddha statue that I came across is the Jade Buddha, Shanghai, China which measures only 96 centimetres but it is made of precious jade.

GRAND TOUR

Kelantan may have a reputation as the most Islamic of Malaysia’s states but that does not mean that other religions are not accepted.

There are a surprising number of Thai temples in the state, especially in the Tumpat and Pasir Mas districts. Or maybe not surprising given the district’s proximity to Thailand and the state’s long association and historic links with its northern neighbour.

There are a significant number of Malaysians of Thai descent in this area and at there are at least 20 Thai temples here.

I visited a few recently on my travels.

I came across Wat Khosakaram (at Kampung Lubok Batil) by accident when I was looking for the much more famous Wat Uttamaran. I followed the sign post which directed me down narrow pot-holed lanes lined with rice fields and palm trees before eventually arriving at this isolated and peaceful spot. The date on the gate says 1996 but presumably this must be when it was renovated because I read that this temple is over 100 years old.

I then went to Wat Phothivihan, Kelantan’s most famous Thai temple with a 40 meter reclining Buddha statue, often mistakenly described as the biggest in South East Asia, though it is Malaysia’s largest.

You can read more about this temple on my Malaysia-Traveller website.

The third temple I visited was Wat Pracacinaram at Kampung Kulim.

They have a sauna here where you can enjoy herbal steam baths infused with ginger, onion and other essences. Just add soy sauce and you will know how a steamed fish feels. I did not give it a try as I was sweating enough already. Revenue must be good as they are building a substantial extension.

Kelantan’s Thai temples are something different and reminded me that it is time to do some more travelling outside of Malaysia.

Tag: Wat Phothivihan

Kelantan’s Thai Temples

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