Wat Kalayanamitr Varamahavihara (, , ) is a Buddhist temple (wat) in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple is located in Wat Kanlaya sub-district, on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple was established in 1825 by Chaophraya Nikonbodin (born To, ), a wealthy Thai Chinese trader,Bangkok begins who donated the temple to Rama III. Chaophraya Nikonbodin was an ancestor of the Kalayanamitr family, whose descendants include Saprang Kalayanamitr. A poem inscribed in the temple reads:
Thai Transcription English วัดกัลยาณมิตรคนสนิทกษัตริย์สร้าง งามสล้างรุ่งเรืองดั่งเมืองสรวง เป็นที่เคารพสักการะคนทั้งปวง เพราะในหลวงจักรีวงศ์ทรงอุ้มชูฯ Wat Kalayanamitr khon sanit kasat sangNgam salang rung rueang dang mueang suangPen thi khaorop sakkara khon thang puangPhro nailuang chakkriwong song umchu True friend temple was built by a close friend of the KingAs glorious, beautiful, and prominent as the city of heavenIt is respected and worshiped by all peopleBecause it is cherished by the Chakri Dynasty KingNation Blog, เบื้องลึก ตระกูลกัลยาณมิตร ของ พล.อ.สพรั่ง, 1 February 2007
Wat Kalayanamitr Varamahavihara is one of three family temples of the Kalayanamitr family, along with Wat Rakhang and Wat Chakkrawatdirachawat Woramahawihan. The family name Kalayanamitr derives from a poem inscribed in the temple.
The ordination hall stands prominently on the riverbank, housing the massive Buddha image Phra Buddha Trai Rattananayok (พระพุทธไตรรัตนนายก), commonly known in Thai as Luang Pho To (หลวงพ่อโต, ) and among the ethnic Chinese as Sampokong (ซำปอกง, ). It was once considered the largest Buddha image in Bangkok and shares its style with the Big Buddha at Wat Phanan Choeng in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. This makes the ordination hall notably large and highly visible from the river. Both Buddha images are revered as representations of both the Buddha and the Chinese admiral Zheng He. Thai people and those of Chinese descent firmly believe that paying respect to these images brings prosperity, good fortune, and safe journeys throughout the year.
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