Tour to Umong Temple

Wat Umong is  quiet and peaceable spot wat in Chiangmai

Wat Umong was built in a forested quiet area at the base of the sacred mountain Doi Suthep as a  meditation temple and as such it doesn't have the same old options of temple grounds. The temple structures are well surrounded by forest trees and a lake.

Quite a lot of tunnels dug out of a mound incorporates shrines with Buddha images, where devotees will pay their respect to the Buddha. The large, shady temple grounds are sometimes crammed with the sounds of monks’ chanting. The temple’s setting in a wooded area with a pure lake makes the Umong Temple a superb place for introspection. The enlightenment middle hosts intuitive vision courses and Dhamma talks.

Umong Temple was founded and built at the end of the 13th century, extra exactly in 1297, by King Mengrai of the Lanna dynasty, first King of the Lanna Kingdom and founding father of Chiang Mai. According to a neighborhood legend, King Mengrai recurrently consulted a monk who lived at Umong Temple, a temple located throughout the outdated metropolis partitions of Chiang Mai. The resident monk, Thera Chan, meditated in peace and undisturbed inside a tunnel. When Chiangmai metropolis grew larger and more crowded, Thera Chan discovered it increasingly more troublesome to meditate, so devoted King Mengrai ordered to dig a lot of tunnels inside a person-made mound in a forested space exterior of town, on the foothills of Suthep mountain, the present location of contemporary Wat Umong. The partitions that lined theses tunnels were plastered, Buddhist murals had been painted on them unfortunately most of them have disappeared - and finally shrines with photographs of the Buddha had been added. Thera Chan finally had a new spot where to meditate in peace. Wat Umong was deserted throughout the 15th century, solely to be restored and reoccupied in the course of the 1940′s, and in 1949 it began functioning as a center for insight and Buddhist teachings (see paragraph below). This long period of disuse explains its overgrown look and somewhat dilapidated atmosphere. Immediately Umong Temple is an energetic temple with a number of resident monks, and visitors can lastly make the most of this historic heart for Buddhism.

In 1948 after the restorations had been accomplished, the Wat Umong reopened as a center for contemplation and Buddhist teachings. The temple is also referred to as Suan Buddha Dhamma, or “Backyard of Buddha’s Teachings”. Each Sunday between three and 6 pm, Dhamma talks are held in English at the Chinese language pavilion close to the pond. Monks talk about Buddhism and there is an opportunity to ask questions. The Umong Temple insight middle practices the Anapanasati insight technique, which concentrates on breathing. If you are all for becoming a member of contemplation sessions, enquire first to make sure the periods are within the English language. Extra information might be found on the Dhammathai website.

How to get to the Umong Temple

All in all an interesting spot to go to and a pleasing, tranquil website to whereas away some time. It’s a bit far to stroll but solely a ten-15 minute tuk tuk or motorbike journey from downtown or contact Tour Agency in Chiang Mai being quite affordable and simply combined with a trip to Doi Suthep. (You may stop off on the fascinating Ton Payom Market on the way.) Tuk tuk’s will probably ask for one hundred baht and also you may need to ask the motive force to wait since they’re few and much between in these parts. A little bit fiddly to get to by bicycle or motorcycle so probably simpler to grab a map reasonably than trying to explain.

Entrance fee & opening hours
The temple opens every day from 6 am until 5 pm. Entrance fee is free.