Flying Temples, -Elephants, and -Spaceships
180books Gets Spacey
Ah, once again #FriFotos has thrown down the hashtag gauntlet and challenged me! –this week with the hashtag #Space. Now how are we supposed to photograph space? Late Thursday night as I was laying in bed and trying to ignore the screaming jungle birds that have built a nest outside our home in Chiang Mai, 100s of ideas came to me. Well not hundreds, exactly, but the inspiring topic of Vimanas and mythological creatures that can transcend time, space, and all three worlds. Hang on; I’ll be updating this post all day, writing and posting as I go, so check back if this topic interests you.
Garuda, about to take a vacation in #Space (Image from the 180books.org Photo Collection by George Edward Giunca)
Garuda Doesn’t Vacation Often, But When He Does…
To kick things off and to honor the aforementioned birds, let’s begin with this photo of Garuda atop a rocket. Garuda, as you may recall, is the vehicle of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu. He is a lifesaving hero in much of their literature. When I saw this statue at Wat Sai Khao in Chiang Rai, Thailand, I had to laugh. Of course, Garuda needs a vacation once-in-awhile, and he probably doesn’t want to flap his wings too hard on his day off. If you look closely, you can see that he’s packed an inflight meal of snakes which are his favorite food.
Wat Tham Saeng Phet in Amnat Charoen, Thailand (Image from the 180books.org Photo Collection by George Edward Giunca)
A Spaceship Shrine
This spaceship-like shrine is dedicated to Ajahn Chah, a famous monk from Wat Nong Pah Pong. Inside is a wax likeness of him meditating. Legend has it that meditation masters can travel through time and space. Perhaps that’s what this shrine’s design is inferring. The interior of this shrine is shockingly beautiful. You can click on this rocket 🚀 to see our blog about it.
Wat Tham Klong Pen in Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand (Image from the 180books.org Photo Collection by George Edward Giunca)
The Mothership has Landed
Tucked away in the relatively new Thai province of Nong Bua Lamphu is this beauty, situated on the grounds of a famous forest meditation temple. This would be spaceship actually houses a museum for the famous Vipassana meditation master, Luang Pu Khao Ananyo. Would love to show you the photo that I made inside this structure, but this blog is running way too long already, and there is a photo in our book, THAILAND 180º. You can learn more about the book here.
This statue of the Goddess Lakshmi sits high atop a luxury shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. (Image from the 180books.org Photo Collection by George Edward Giunca)
Goddess in a Space Capsule (Atop a Shopping Mall)
Where would you expect to find Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual? On the 4th floor of an upscale shopping mall in a rooftop garden, of course. I was told that the reason she was placed there is so that she could gaze on the sculpture of her consort, Lord Vishnu below at the Intercontinental Hotel. Whatever, both are beautiful and fun to track down. If you’re on the Skytrain, you should be able to see both if you look carefully.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Ranakpur Temple in Rajasthan, India (Image from the 180books.org Photo Collection by George Edward Giunca)
When a Dream About a Spaceship Becomes a Blueprint
The Ranakpur Temple in Rajasthan, India is a beautiful example of Vimana inspired construction. This 15th Century temple was inspired by a Nalinigulm Vimana (heavenly aircraft) that the architect Sheth Dhanna Shahhad seen in his dream. There are many temples in India that are said to resemble flying machines, and there are stone bas relief carvings of flying chariots. Whether you believe that these designs allude to the idea that the Hindu Gods were from outer #Space or that they had aliens guiding Earthlings on their construction, they do have an other worldly feel to them. If this subject appeals to you, just visit YouTube and do a search for Vimana. For another view inside this temple, and I mean an awesome breath-taking view, click Here.
Hussadeeling sculpture and pavilion at Wat Suandok in Chiang Mai, Thailand (Image from the 180books.org Photo Collection by George Edward Giunca)
Aren’t You Glad Elephants Can’t Fly?!
Remember that old rhyme? Hussadeelings are mythological winged-elephants that live at the foot of Mt. Meru in the Himvanta Forest. If you are a subscriber, live in Chiang Mai, or follow us on FaceBook, you already know about this from an older blog. If not, click here and I’ll magically transport you to it.
This Ends Here!
And so ends our day in #space!
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Blog : Thai by Apisatha Giunca
Blog : English by George Edward Giunca
About the Authors
Photographer George Edward Giunca, and his Thai wife, Apisatha, have traveled around Thailand armed with a circular fisheye lens to create a photo essay on the rich cultural diversity, and abundant natural beauty of the Kingdom of Thailand. Fleeing from angry water buffaloes, slapping huge mosquitoes, watching exotic festivals and religious rituals, gorging on delicious spicy food, applying aloe vera cream to sunburned skin, wading through rice paddies, getting drenched to the bone by heavy monsoon rains, and gawking at breath-taking scenery; made it a journey of epic proportions! The result is the book, THAILAND 180º. Later, they traveled extensively through Myanmar, Malaysia, and India, gathering a massive collections of 180º photos. They currently live in Bangkok.
Here’s How to Order Your Copy of THAILAND 180º Collectors EditionToday!
In Thailand —>>>http://www.thailand180.com/thaiorder.html
The Rest of the world: We are offering our book on Amazon.com, below list price and I’ll pay for the shipping within the United States! http://amzn.to/1knDPRR
Not Familiar with Our Book???
This show details the origin of 180 Books, a series of art/travel books illustrated with a circular fisheye lens. By using infographics, pictures from our THAILAND 180º book, and never seen before images from our vault, we’ll demonstrate this unique lens and present our unique books.
Also, because there’s nothing to watch on TV, here’s a trailer about our book, “THAILAND 180”
Above is an interactive map of Thailand. If you click on a marker it reveals a photo from our THAILAND 180º book and a link to our blog article about the photo. Go Ahead~ Start Exploring ~Have Some Fun!
