Buddha Head In The Roots Of A Bodhi Tree

The Story

Before king Rama I of Thailand changed the kingdom's capital to Bangkok in the 18th century, it was the sacred city of Ayutthaya that governed the country.

Ayutthaya had a similar unfortunate fate like Hampi in India. It was once a thriving cosmopolitan, important city for trade in Asia.

All the Ayutthaya temples were razed down by the Burmese army, and the locals were not allowed to resettle there. The area was completely abandoned and overgrown until the 1950s, the years when they started excavations.

As a visitor, you can see a mysterious temple complex with many Buddha bodies without heads and roots.

One Buddha head in particular has been getting a lot more attention than others, and has been entertaining the imagination of all visitors. It is known as the Buddha head in the roots of a bodhi tree.

A legend tells the tale that a thief tried to hide the head, and another version even recounts that the thief was actually swallowed by the tree.

Treasure hunters definitely searched the area for things of value when the temple area was abandoned, and might have moved the head and left it near the entrance.

Maybe the Buddha head was too heavy, or they came across other more valuable items? We will never know. The fact is, the tree roots grew around the Buddha's head.

The sight is extremely popular with tourists, and they even have guards with a whistle putting people back in place if they disrespect the Buddha head. Ayutthaya is a sacred place, so be mindful.

As per custom, you can only take pictures at the height of the Buddha head (or they will whistle a lot and might kick you out too).

That means if you are super tall you need to go down to take a picture because the Head isn't that large, and it's at the bottom of the root system.

Location

You will find the Buddha Head at the entrance of the Wat Mahathat temple ruins of Ayutthaya, right at the beginning of the tour.

Ayutthaya is the former capital of the Siam kingdom in Thailand, and it was destroyed by the Burmese army in the 18th century.

Today, the temple are consists of ruined buildings and active Thai Buddhist temples and pilgrimage sites.

Ayutthaya is about 1 hour away from Bangkok by car, and the best way to visit is with a local guide who can pick you up and drop off in Bangkok.