Sacred spires of Isaan

Phrathat Phanom is the oldest stupa on the Isaan plateau.

Manote Tripathi

The Nation

Nakhon Phanom

 Over the New Year holidays, Thai Buddhists flooded through temples that house age-old stupas, or phrathat, in Isaan provinces as a ritual to bring positive changes for the year head. As pilgrimage sites for people from Isaan and beyond, these stupas sacred status is growing among Buddhist worshippers of all generations. For a pilgrimage of a lifetime, thousands are streaming through Nakhon Phanom, a beautiful city with French, Lao and Vietnamese influences set by the Mekong river.

 Nakhon Phanom is home to seven major stupas that Buddhists regard as sacred pilgrimage sites, each symbolising a different day of the week. These are Phrathat Phanom (worshipped by those born on Sunday) in That Phanom district, Phrathat Renoo (Monday) in Renoo Nakhon district, Phrathat Srikhoon (Tuesday) in Na Kae district, Phrathat Mahachai (Wednesday) in Plabak dis?trict, Phrathat Prasit (Thursday) in Na Wa district, Phrathat Uthane (Friday) in Tha Uthane district and Phrathat Nakhorn (Saturday) in Muang district (downtown Nakhon Phanom).

  For Thai Buddhists, the graceful spires radiate blessings thanks to the relics of the Buddha they house -- worshipping a stupa is akin to honouring the Buddha. Found mostly in big cities and usually exhibiting white stuccoing with golden embellishments, these imposing and distinctively Isaan stupas can rise as high as 30 metres, and each has its own special character for worshippers.

  Phrathat Phanom, housed in Wat Phrathat Phanomworamaha Viharn, is a Sunday stupa that also symbolises the Year of the Monkey. Those who worship here are believed to win more respect from others.

 Located at Wat Renoonahorn, Phrathat Renoo is a Monday stupa said to reward worshippers by lending their complexions a moonlit glow.

  Phrathat Srikhoon of Wat Phrathat Srikhoon was purportedly built by a warrior on the site of several battles between the Lan Xang and Khmer kingdoms. Anyone worshipping this Tuesday stupa is believed to be rewarded with a warrior's winning streak, courage and greater dignity.

 Local legend has it that Phrathat Mahachai, housed in Wat Phrathat Mahachai is the abode of an angel whose subtle power ensures her followers victory in any undertaking. People worship the Wednesday stupa for good luck and to triumph over adversity.

Locals say Phrathat Prasit of Wat Phrathat Prasit, a Thursday stupa, guarantees success and productivity while Friday's Phrathat Uthane stupa is believed to bring prosperity and an outlook on life as bright as a rising sun.

 Phrathat Nakhorn of Wat Mahathat, a Saturday stupa, supposedly guarantees more power at work for worshippers.

 A pilgrimage to all the seven sites is easily completed in a couple of days. As the seven stupas are spread from north to south, worshippers usually start the first day in Muang district where the Saturday Phrathat Nakhorn stupa is located, followed by a visit to Phrathat Uthane that lies 30 kilometres to the north. From there the pilgrimage route runs to Phrathat Prasit, another 30 km to the west, before returning to downtown Nakhon Phanom (Muang district) for a night's rest.

 Next day, pilgrims can cover the remaining four stupas, starting with the drive to Phrathat Mahachai to the west of the town and then Phrathat Renoo to the south. From there, it's a short distance to Phrathat Phanom and Phrathat Srikhoon.

 But those who don't have time to cover all the sites will probably prefer to visit Phrathat Phanom, regardless of their birthday.

  The locus of morale among people on both sides of the Mekong, Phrathat Phanom - the oldest in the whole of Isaan - houses the remains of the Buddha's breastbones. Near the stupa in the compound of the temple are seven ponds, the water of one of which is considered holy and has been used in the coronation ceremonies of Thai monarchs since the sixth reign.

 Ancient lore has it that Phrathat Phanom was built by five kings: Phraya Chulaneephromathat, Phraya Nanthasen, Phraya Inthapat, Phraya Khamdaeng and Phrayasuwannaphingkharn.

 A masonry structure, the stupa exhibits floral motifs indigenous to the province, each brick portraying images of these ancient kings rendered by local artists employing a style in vogue in the eighth to 10th century -- the Dvaravati Period.

 The stupa has been through several rounds of renovation, first by a king of the Lan Xang Kingdom, then from 1680 to 1682 a senior monk named Phrakhroo Phonsamed (Yakhoo Khihom) gathered about 3,000 villagers from Vientiane in Laos to build up its height. A major renovation project was led by the government in 1940.

 That Buddhism runs deep in this part of the country is obvious when you witness how much awe the stupas of Isaan still provoke in the locals.