A water bottle, fruit juice and a coconut with straws - these are among the odd devotions that I saw left at Bangkok's shrines. At first I thought someone was lazy or forgot to take their drink with them, then I realized these things show up at nearly every Hindi shrine in Bangkok. A few times, I even saw red soda pop on the altars.
I'd like to say that I took the time to find out why they did this. Instead I just gawked and clicked the camera, baffled as to why their gods need straws.
Bangkok has a thriving flower market where scores of thousands of marigolds, jasmine and orchids are sold daily. They often make their ways to market stalls around the popular shrines where men and women both string them into garlands and sell them on for others to leave as devotions. Erawan Shrine in the central district was literally dripping with them.
Candles and incense were also popular.
It seems like anything goes at the shrines, but my vague understanding is that each of these material offerings serves a specific purpose.
Though I questioned the live birds who were gasping in the smoke. Ten birds. One tiny cage. I found it very distressing.
And your guess is as good as mine as to what sort of devotion this little military guy serves. It's like Big Boy joined the Army. Maybe that's why they have him tucked down in the corner?
Buddhism is big in Thailand and their Buddhas are on the same epic scale as their malls. The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho was 15 meters high and 43 meters long (approximately 49ft by 142ft). And one buddha isn't enough for any temple. Wat Pho had hundreds to visit in all shapes and sizes.
The details at the temples were quite ornate and sparkled with golden flourishes.
I was drawn to the creepy statues who stand as gate guards and those of yogis seated among the garden.
This guy could have been the model for several movie anti heroes. Something about the eyes, I think?
While I don't understand the Buddhist and Hindi rituals celebrated in Thailand, I do respect their devotion.
This is post three in a short series about our whirlwind trip to Bangkok.
Love your Thailand pictures. Love Thailand! I bought so much fabric, and I need to go back. Of course, I still have sewn what I bought before, but still.... fabric. I made one quilt with the stuff I bought at a market for cheap, and it was so nice. I paid for some Jim Thompson fabric, too, but like the other just as much.
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