Chalong Temple at Phuket

Our last tourist destination on day 3 was the 19th century Buddist temple complex - Wat Chalong also know as Wat Chaiyathararam. 

The main temple was built to pay respect to two monks, Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Cho Chiang, who led the locals against an uprising by Chinese tin miners in 1876. The monks housed the injured and treated them with their knowledge of herbal medicine and hence the locals as well as the then king Rama V held them in high esteem.

The complex also houses a much recent 60m tall grand stupa 'Phrase Mahathat Chedi' which is believed to hold a bone splinter relic of Buddha, a gift from Sri Lanka.

There are many more smaller structures in the complex along with the main temple. The architecture in traditional Thai style is really photogenic and truly striking in beauty. The gardens are beautiful and serene. 

There is a strange practice of bursting fire crackers in a large brick kiln by devotees whose prayers are answered, that can shock you and is quite a contrast to the serenity of the place. The majority of visitors pray by lighting candles, offering lotus flowers and applying gold leafs to Buddha statues.

You can also find few stalls selling temple offerings, cloths, souvenirs and eatables at a reasonable price. Work is still going on to improve the parking and infrastructure for the visitors. 

Infra work in progress

Phra Mahathat chedi

The Viharn of the Wat Chalong

The main temple

Place for the fire crackers

Parking lot getting ready