Joanna James
Bangkok is loved for its shopping and street food, but the temples by far offer the best experience. These ancient shrines devoted to various deities will prove to be enticing and utterly fascinating.
Ganesha is the Hindu God of prosperity and good luck; hence many businessmen and devotees seeking good fortune visit this shrine, located just off the Chit Lom BTS Skytrain station. Depicting the elephant-headed god is a large golden elephant placed just outside the CentralWorld shopping mall. Watch as devotees offer garlands of marigolds and food such as bananas, in return for favours from the god. CentralWorld is just 17 minutes away for guests at Anantara Sathorn Bangkok Hotel, hence, you can easily combine sightseeing and a bout of designer shopping with ease; since, shopping is one of the biggest lures to enjoy when staying at Sathorn hotels.
Erawan is a Brahman shrine and one of the most famous in Bangkok. Located at a busy intersection of the city, the shrine has been in existence since 1956. It is quite interesting to watch the bevvy of devotees who visit the temple in order to offer prayers and ask for favours.
Better known as the 'Bangkok Lovers Shrine' the Trimurti Shrine is located just opposite the Ganesha Shrine. Prayers, however, are offered not for prosperity in business, but for good luck in one's stagnant love life! That's right folks, should you have a need to revamp your romance, head over to the Trimurti Shrine, located just opposite Sukhumvit Road, and offer a red rose in favour of luck in romance.
The Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin is an iconic deity for Theravada Buddhists; a form of Buddhism practised by 95% of Thailand's population. In a rather ancient part of Chinatown that runs along the Chao Phraya River, you can see a vintage statue of the goddess. The teak statue which is 900 years old is believed to have been carved during the Song Dynasty of China. The shrine displays a variety of traditional Chinese décor and is ideal for experiencing vintage customs.
Head over to the Gaysorn Plaza, another one of Bangkok's iconic shopping malls and you will find this shrine just outside. On the fourth floor of the plaza's outdoor precinct is a golden statue of this goddess, the Hindu deity for wealth and prosperity. The statue depicts the four-armed goddess standing on a lotus flower.
Mae Nak Shrine is different from the others, as it was built for a ghost and not a god. The story of Mae Nak is legendary in Bangkok; it's the tale of a woman named Mae Nak who dies during childbirth while her husband was at war. The husband, who was oblivious to this fact, returned and continued to live with her ghost until finally realising the sad truth. This shrine is located at Wat Mahabut Temple, just after the On Nut BTS Skytrain station.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
