Wat Thai Buddhagaya
| Wat Thai Buddhagaya | |
|---|---|
วัดไทยพุทธคยา | |
Wat Thai Buddhagaya in Bodh Gaya | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Theravada Buddhism |
| Location | |
| Location | Bodh Gaya, Gaya, Bihar |
| Country | India |
Location in Bihar, India Wat Thai Buddhagaya (India) | |
| Coordinates | 24°41′38.81″N 84°59′05.99″E / 24.6941139°N 84.9849972°E |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Government of Thailand[1] |
| Completed | 1957[2] |
Wat Thai Buddhagaya (Thai: วัดไทยพุทธคยา; also spelled Wat Thai Buddha-Gayā) is a Thai Theravada Buddhist monastery in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India. It was constructed by the Government of Thailand, at the invitation of the Government of India, as part of the development of foreign monasteries serving Buddhist pilgrimage at Bodh Gaya.[3][4]
The monastery is also referred to as the Royal Thai Monastery, Bodhgaya. It is one of several monasteries established by Buddhist communities from different countries in the area around the Mahabodhi Temple complex.[3]
History
In the 1950s, India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru promoted efforts to revitalise Buddhism in India, alongside the growth of international pilgrimage to Buddhist sacred sites such as Bodh Gaya.[3]
According to Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Thai Monastery, Bodhgaya was established in 1957, by invitation of Nehru, to mark the 25th Buddhist century.[5] Thailand was the first country to build a monastery at Bodh Gaya, and the temple was constructed under a lease agreement between the governments of India and Thailand.[3]
The same Ministry of Foreign Affairs account states that construction was carried out during the tenure of Phra Bahiddha-Nukara, then Thailand's ambassador to India.[5]
Architecture
Wat Thai Buddhagaya is built in a Thai temple style. The monastery acquired its present form in the 1970s, and its appearance was remodelled on Wat Benchamabophit (the "Marble Temple") in Bangkok.[6]
The building has an outer shell of stainless steel with decorative mirror mosaics and a wooden main floor, with a marble-floored meditation room beneath the main structure; the temple is decorated with handmade sculptures made from a mixture of white cement, clay and epoxy, and the site includes Thai-style roofs, gardens, and a Buddha statue.[7]
Royal and state associations
Wat Thai Buddhagaya is sometimes referred to in Thai diplomatic communications as the Royal Thai Monastery, Bodhgaya. Thai government agencies and diplomatic missions have organised religious and cultural activities in cooperation with the monastery in connection with anniversaries of the Thai monarchy.[8]
Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducts an annual programme to present Royal Kathina robes at Buddhist temples overseas, including ceremonies held in Bodh Gaya in cooperation with Wat Thai Buddhagaya.[9] According to reports by the ministry, ceremonies in Gaya are conducted by Thai diplomatic missions in India, with the abbot of Wat Thai Buddhagaya playing a leading role in the presentation of the robes.[10]
Gallery
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Entrance gate of Wat Thai Buddhagaya
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Garuda emblem displayed above the entrance gate
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Facade of the main hall
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Guardian figure (yaksha) at the entrance of the main hall
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Exterior view of the main temple (1975)
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Main Buddha statue at Wat Thai Buddhagaya
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Mural of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's the Story of Mahajanaka, painted by Panya Vijinthanasarn.
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Mural of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's the Story of Mahajanaka, painted by Netikon Chin-yo.
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Mural of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's the Story of Mahajanaka, painted by Chintana Piamsiri.
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Mural of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's the Story of Mahajanaka, painted by Chalermchai Kositpipat.
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Mural of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's the Story of Mahajanaka, painted by Preecha Thaothong.
References
- ^ "ข้อมูลทั่วไปของเมืองพุทธคยา" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "A spiritual travel guide to Gaya". Incredible India. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d Ray, Himanshu Prabha (2008). "Creating Religious Identities: Buddhist Monuments in Bihar, India". Transforming Cultures eJournal. 3 (2): 155–156. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ Thai Buddhism in the Buddhist World (PDF). Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Education (Thailand). 31 December 1979. p. 84. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Consul-General of Thailand in Kolkata participated in the Dhamma Sabha in Celebration of the 159th Birth Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala, Founder of Maha Bodhi Society of India". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ Jakab, Eszter (2024-04-06). "Buddhist Heritage With(out) Borders: The Mahābodhi Temple in the Thai National Imagination and Cultural Practices". Political Theology. doi:10.1080/1462317X.2024.2336359. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "Metta Buddharam Temple". Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar (Bihar Tourism). 11 March 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "Royal Thai Consulate-General in Kolkata in collaboration with Wat Thai Buddhagaya organized Presentation of Buddha Statues 'Phra Buddha Jayanti Sri Siam' to Buddhist community in Darjeeling". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "กฐินพระราชทาน ณ พุทธคยา ทำนุบำรุงต้นธารพระพุทธศาสนา". Matichon. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents the Royal Kathina Robes at All India Bhikkhu Sangha, Gaya, Bihar, India". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. 13 October 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.