Page 19 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

Wat Chalong ❮❮ 17

Buddha Image
6 WAT CHALONG FAIR
Known as Poh
Than Jao Wat, the main First held in 1954, the
Buddha image (left) is annual Wat Chalong Fair
within Wat Chalong’s transforms the temple
west ern hall. It is flanked grounds into a bustling
by two statues, one of entertain ment venue
which sup posedly depicts fea turing live music
a local man who won perfor man ces, sermons,
several lotteries after and an endless variety
praying to the image. of delicious local cuisine.
Vendors also set up
Wax Figures
7 carnival games, ferris
wheels, and merry-go-
Lifelike models
of former temple abbots rounds. The eight-day
festival coin cides with
can be found inside a the Chinese New Year
special exhibition space. and it histori cally marked
Visitors pay tri bute to the end of a local
these spiritual leaders farm harvest.
to make merit.

Wall Paintings
Grand Pagoda
NEED TO KNOW 8 0
This 197-ft (60-m)
Inside the Grand
MAP J4 • Chao Fah Pagoda, wall paintings tall golden pagoda
Nok Road; 07621 1036, show events from the life enshrines a bone
07638 1893 of Siddhartha Gautama, splin ter of the
Open 7am–5pm daily who became the Buddha Buddha. Brought
after gaining enlighten- from Sri Lanka
• Dress conservatively ment. Notable depictions in 1999, it is
and remove your shoes include him teaching his housed inside a
before entering certain disciples and receiving chedi (stupa) on
buildings. Don’t turn offerings (above). the third story
your back on, or point of the pagoda
your feet, at an image Gilded Statues (below).
of the Buddha. 9
Cast in bronze,
• Street food vendors, these depictions of
selling everything from former temple abbots
fried grasshoppers to are cov ered in flecks of
grilled chicken and pork gold foil. Visitors offer
skewers marinated in dona tions and make
chilli sauce, congregate merit by affixing small
outside the temple. pieces of gold-colored
foil onto the statues.

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