Wat Jamdevi or Wat Kukut is an important temple in Lamphun
Private tours Chiang Mai
to Lamphun, you should try and get to see Wat Phra That Haripunchai and Wat Jamdevi or Wat Kukut is a second Wat you should consider visiting. It’s on the opposite side of town to the previous Wat and should take about 30mins walk. It gives you a chance to view the rest of the town as you wander there.
to Lamphun, you should try and get to see Wat Phra That Haripunchai and Wat Jamdevi or Wat Kukut is a second Wat you should consider visiting. It’s on the opposite side of town to the previous Wat and should take about 30mins walk. It gives you a chance to view the rest of the town as you wander there.
Just a short distance outside of the old city moat west of Lamphun is the temple of Cham Devi. The temple was founded in 755, but most of the temple's buildings are relatively modern and uninteresting. However, the temple is extremely significant for its two unusual chedis (pagodas), both built around 1218.
The Jamdevi houses one of the last surviving examples of Mon Dvaravati architecture in Thailand, the Mahabol chedi. The well preserved stepped pyramid chedi is also known as the Suwan Chang Kot chedi.
The chedi was built by King Athitayarat of the Haripunchai Kingdom to commemorate his victory over the Khmer halfway the 12th century. The current structure is from 1218, when it was rebuilt by King Saphsit after an earthquake damaged the original.
The brick chedi measuring 21 meters high is plastered with stucco. Standing on a square base are five square tiers of diminishing size. Each side of each tier contains three niches enshrining a standing image of the Buddha, decreasing in size towards the top. The images. cast in 1218 in molds, are in the Abhaya mudra (dispelling fear), the right hand raised. The arches over the niches contain intricate stuccoed decorations.
Similar chedis can be found at the Wat Phaya Wat in Nan, the Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai Historical Park, the Wat Phra That Haripunchai in Lamphun, and the Wat Chedi Liam in Chiang Mai.
On the back wall to the left of the principal Buddha image is a mural depicting a legend about Queen Chama Thewi. It shows Viranga, King of the Lawa people on top of Doi Suthep mountain throwing a spear towards the town of Haripunchai (present day Lamphun). According to the legend Viranga had wanted for many years to marry Queen Chama Thewi. Finally the Queen agreed provided that Viranga could throw three spears from the top of the mountain into the walled town. After the first spear had reached the town, Queen Chama Thewi who feared Viranga would succeed, offered him a turban made out of her sarong. Some menstrual blood that was still in the cloth weakened Viranga, after which he failed his second attempt.
How to get to Wat Jamdevi or Wat Kukut
Only 22km south-east of Chiang Mai on route 106, often called the Old Chiang Mai Road, Lamphun is famed for hand-woven silk, two ancient temples, its beautiful women and its production of the sweetest logan fruit (lam yai). The temple is found on Chamadevi road (road 1015) a little over one kilometer West of Lamphun town center, next to Lamphun Hospital. Reserve private tours Chiang Mai to Lamphun and Lampang
Entrance fee & opening hours
Wat Jamdevi or Wat Kukut opens daily during daylight hours. Admission is free.
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