Indian temples in The Bangkok City

Brahman, Hindu and Sikh temples in Bangkok reflect the Indian influence on Thai culture and also attest to the harmony of life and freedom of belief in the Kingdom of Thailand

Standing tall and graceful in front of Wat Suthat Thepphawararam in Bangkok's Phra Nakhon district is the Giant Swing. This more than 20-metre high red wooden structure and the nearby Devasthan Bosth Brahmana temple are manifestations of the importance of Brahmanism in the Kingdom, just as the several Hindu temples and one Sikh temple in Bangkok reflect the influence of two other Indian religious teachings on the Thai way of life.


It is a tradition that a giant swing and a devasthan (temple) for worshipping Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu must be built once a new city has been established. The giant swing is for conducting the triyam pavai and tripavai ceremonies, which simulate the creation of the world, according to the book Prawat Devasthan (A History of the Devasthan) by Phra Rajaguru Vamadevamuni, Thailand's chief Brahman priest.

On the orders of King Rama I, both the Giant Swing and the temple were built in 1784, two years after Bangkok became the capital. The Giant Swing is believed to have helped ensure the stability of the new city. Before being moved to where it is today, it was situated in front of the Devasthan.

The Devasthan Bosth Brahmana on Dinso Road consists of three shrines. The biggest, named Satharn Phra Isuan (shrine for Shiva), is a brick structure without a porch. The front side of its roof is adorned with frescoes of Shiva and his consort, Uma, seated in a pavilion above a bull named Nandi amid clouds.

Inside the shrine is the 1.87-metre-high bronze statue of Lord Shiva standing and lifting both hands to bless people. Also, there are three statues of Lord Brahma, 32 statues of other deities and two black stone Shiva Lingams.


Alongside are the ancient fresco statues of Shiva and Uma riding the bull Nandi. In the middle of the shrine are two 2.5-metre-long wooden poles for the cha hong ritual, part of the triyam pavai and tripavai ceremonies, for worshipping Shiva, Uma and Ganesh on the first day of the waning moon in the second lunar month, for worshipping Vishnu on the fifth day and Brahma on the third day.

The second shrine, Satharn Phra Ganesh, is an Ayutthaya-style brick building with front and back verandahs. Inside it are four stone statues and a bronze statue of Ganesh.

The third shrine, Satharn Phra Narai (Vishnu), is a brick structure with front and back porches. Inside it are two fresco statues of Vishnu and a 2.5-metre-long wooden pole (sao hong) for the cha hong ritual.

The cha hong ritual is a part of the triyam pavai and tripavai ceremonies, for worshipping Shiva, Uma and Ganesh, Brahma and Vishnu on the designated days. This ritual is among the royal ceremonies conducted by Brahman priests, including coronations, oaths of allegiance, royal weddings and ploughing ceremonies. Currently, there are fewer than 20 Brahmans in the country.


According to Dulyapak Preecharushh's research paper, Brahman and Hindu Communities in Bangkok: A Historical Reflection of Indian Settlements in Thai Society, the Indian communities in Thailand can be historically classified into two groups. The first group are the Brahmans, who have played roles in the Royal Court. Their progenitors migrated from India to Thailand over the past two millennia from the times of the Lord Buddha until the Dvaravati, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Bangkok periods.

The second group are the Hindus, whose ancestors migrated from India to Thailand in the past 70 to 150 years, when India was a British colony. They are business people who live in trading districts like Sukhumvit, Silom and Sathon, and at the Si Yaek Ban Khaek intersection.

The Hindus from Uttar Pradesh in northern India revered Vishnu. They settled down in Sathon and Yannawa and established Vishnu Temple in 1915 as the central place of worship for Uttar Pradesh Hindus in Bangkok.

Most of the Hindus from Gujarat and Rajasthan run jewellery businesses and live in the Silom and Sathon areas. Meanwhile, the majority of the Hindus from Sind and Punjab run textile and garment businesses and live in Sampheng and Phahurat.


The Hindus from Tamil Nadu in southern India and from the north of Sri Lanka worshipped Shiva and Uma. They established the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, or Wat Khaek, on Silom Road as a hub for Hindus from southern India.

The Hindus from Bengal and Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh are mostly Muslim. A few are Hindu and live near Wat Khaek and on Silom Road.

"We [Hindus] believe in the trinity [Trimurti] - Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Protector and Shiva the Destroyer," explained Tara Srinidhi, a Hindi teacher and Indian cultural expert, while leading a trip to some Indian temples in Bangkok.

According to oral history, the first batch of Hindu immigrants settled down in Siam a few hundred years ago. They were mainly worshippers of Shakti (the female form of Hindu deities). About 150 years ago, they built a small pavilion named Sala Sri Mariamman under a neam tree in a sugar cane plantation in the Hua Lamphong area. The pavilion was later relocated to a corner of Pan and Silom roads and renamed Sri Maha Mariamman Temple during the reign of King Rama V.

Dedicated to Uma, the consort of Shiva who has the power to protect people against diseases, it is Thailand's oldest Hindu temple. This southern Indian architecture is outstanding for its kopura, or arches decorated with the statues of Hindu deities in rich colours.

"The temple follows the Pallava architecture of southern India. Three-faced gods reflect the Pallava style. Its exterior is adorned with the figures of Hindu deities. The temple itself means the whole universe and the top of its entrance is extremely important," Mrs Srinidhi said.


Inside the temple, the golden statue of Uma is enshrined at the centre and surrounded by the statues of other Hindu deities: Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Ganesh, Khanthakumarn, Lakshmi and Kali. In the temple compound, there is also a small shrine with a lingam inside. Everything here must be built and repaired by skilled artisans brought in from southern India only.

This temple was initially a spiritual centre for Hindus in general, not just the Tamils from southern India. But, when the number of Hindus in Bangkok increased, those from northern India, in particular Uttar Pradesh, separated to establish the Hindu Dharma Sabha in 1915 and built Vishnu Temple in Yannawa in 1920.

Vishnu Temple on Soi Wat Prok, Yannawa, is considered the centre of Hindus from northern India and serves as the office of the Hindu Dharma Sabha, a religious organisation. This temple is outstanding for having enshrined beautifully carved marble statues of 24 Hindu deities.

Its Maha Monthian, or the devalai, is a white marble rising tower in the Sikhara (mountain peak) style, and it stands for the centre of the universe. This kind of construction is very popular in northern and western India.

The hall of this devalai enshrines the marble statues of deities from Chaipura, India. They are Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi; Rama and his consort Sita; his younger brothers Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna; his soldier Hanuman; Krishna (8th reincarnation of Vishnu) and his consort Radha; and Ganesh and his two consorts. Also, there is a Pallava-style marble Buddha statue.


In this hall adorned with other god sculptures according to the Vaishnava sect, religious rituals are performed and Hindu worshippers chant in honour of their deities and read out the Ramayana and the Mahabharata aloud every day.

In the temple compound, there is also a Hindu cemetery and small shrines for Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, Hanuman and some guardian angels.

Another major Hindu temple in the capital is Thepmontian (Hindu Samaj) Temple. Built in 1939 not far from the Giant Swing, this temple is known as the hub of Punjabi people in Bangkok.

It houses a lot of statues of Hindu deities. There are statues of Sati, another form of Kali; Shiva with a lingam; Krishna - the God of Knowledge, and his consort Radha; Ganesh; Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi - the Goddess of Wealth; Hanuman, a symbol of loyalty and devotion; Rama and Sita; the four-faced Lord Brahma; and Durga. In here are also murals depicting the Ramayana and the paintings of devotees, including the authors of the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The largest number of Indian migrants from Sind and Punjab provinces in India and Pakistan who now live in Sampheng and Phahurat areas are the Sikhs, who use the Sikh Gurudwara temple in Phahurat as their centre.

Not far from Thepmontian Temple is Phahurat, or "Little India", where a Sikh community is nestled. In the middle of Phahurat, along Charoen Krung Road, is a white six-storey Sikh temple with a golden dome called Sikh Gurudwara (Guru Tawan Sikh Temple). Established in 1932, this temple is the second-largest Sikh temple outside India. It is open to all; visitors must take off their shoes and cover their heads with an orange cloth.

On the fourth floor is the congregation hall. On the top floor is the main prayer area where a copy of the Sikh holy book, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is placed upon an flower-covered altar.

"Sikh means learning. Sikhism is a way to live a life. We consider the Holy Book as the living god and the living guru. The book tells of the god and how to live life," Trilochan Singh, manager of Sikh Gurudwara, said.

According to him, the 1,430-page holy book contains not only the teachings of the Guru but also those of other religions.

"In the sleeping room for the Book, we read and try to take the special message into our life. It can be read on every occasion, happy or sad. We pray and ask the priests to read the book thoroughly," he added.

In the meditation room, worshippers will sit for a while, closing their eyes and reciting the name of God. There are approximately 30,000 Sikhs in Bangkok and 16 Sikh temples in Thailand.

All these Indian temples - Brahman, Hindu and Sikh - are open to everyone, regardless of nationality and religion. This reflects the harmony of the different ways of life in Thailand, a cultural melting pot where Buddhists and people of other religions live in peace and harmony.

"Offerings may differ because they are brought by the Hindus and the Chinese who live around here. Some bring just one mango or one apple. People, not just Hindus, come here every morning and evening to pray," said, Mrs Srinidhi, commenting on the worshippers of various races and religions at Wat Khaek.