With a little break before the dinner with our clients this evening, I decided to take the whole team to visit the renowned Buddha-Head-in-Tree-Roots (Phra Phuttha Saiyat Tham Suea) at Wat Phra Mahathat in Ayutthaya.
The entrance fee is just 10 baht for locals and 50 baht for foreigners—a small price for such a fascinating and historical site.
The Buddha-Head-in-Tree-Roots is a serene and mystical representation of faith, deeply tied to the ancient history of this once-thriving capital city. Wars and time have mercilessly ravaged countless temples here, leaving only ruins in their wake. But remarkably, the Buddha’s head, a silent witness to these past events, has been cradled and protected by the roots of an old tree, giving rise to this unique and powerful image.
This Buddha’s story stretches back to the 14th century, when Ayutthaya stood as the center of Thai civilization. The Buddha was once a central figure in Wat Phra Mahathat. But in the 18th century, when Burmese forces invaded and brought the city to its knees, many temples and statues were destroyed. The body of this Buddha was shattered, its head left on the ground, until it was gradually enveloped by the embracing roots of a tree, creating the iconic image we see today.
As you approach the statue, you’re struck by the sense of history and the quiet resilience it represents. The gnarled tree roots seem to tell a tale of both the glory and the downfall of the ancient city. The way the roots have gently wrapped around the Buddha’s head, almost as if protecting it from the passage of time, is a poignant reminder of the fragility and endurance of human achievement. Standing before it, you can’t help but feel a deep sense of nostalgia—a whisper from a once-great civilization, calling attention to the inevitable passage of time and the transient nature of life.
Today, the Buddha-Head-in-Tree-Roots is not merely a religious site. It has become a symbol of nature’s strength and history’s witness, drawing countless visitors and pilgrims who come to pay their respects. It stands silently, as if reminding us that, no matter how much time passes, nature and faith have their own way of preserving the echoes of forgotten times.
Enclosed Googel Map
