Buddha Alley

Thanon Bamrung Muang, which is now in the heart of Bankok, was once an elephant trail in days of yore. A hundred years ago it became one of the city's first paved streets. Today it is lined with shops selling all the latest Buddhist paraphernalia, earning the moniker of Buddha Alley.
 

We are walking from Wat Pho to Wat Saket and decide to check out Buddha Alley along the way. Tuk-tuks and mopeds purr past as we come to the towering red structure of Sao Ching Cha, also known as the Giant Swing.

The Giant Swing stands in an oval roundabout across from a Buddhist temple. Two towering red posts are connected at the top by an ornate cross-beam. The swing was once used during a ceremony to honor the Hindu god Shiva's annual descent to Earth. Young men participated in a competition in which they would swing to great heights and attempt to snatch a suspended bag of gold with their teeth. Due to too many accidents, the practice was discontinued in the 1930's.
 

On the far side of the swing, draped across the side of a government building, is a large image of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the current monarch of Thailand. The Royal Family is revered in Thailand and photos of the king are everywhere.

On the near side of the swing is one of Thailand's most important temples, Wat Suthat. A few tuk-tuks park along the road and monks dressed in orange robes enter the gate. Although it is a sanctuary of high significance, it doesn't appear to draw large crowds. Inside is an eight-meter statue of a meditating Buddha, which is said to date back to 1361. It was brought by river all the way from Sukhothai, one of the ancient capitals of Thailand. As we don't have time to see “everything,” we decide to continue our walk along Buddha Alley.
 

We now come across the shops that sell the paraphernalia. A variety of Buddhas are wrapped in plastic, as well as lotus stems bunched together in baskets. A monk is alongside a child and her mother. 

A peddler pushes an empty cart along the street, no doubt in preparation to selling a tasty Thai dish such as noodles or skewers of meat. He carries a collapsed parasol that he will eventually open to protect him from the scorching Bangkok sun.
 

Shop after shop sells tall Buddha figurines wrapped in plastic. Whether they are meant for a sanctuary or some other place I do not know.
 

This is an interesting juxtaposition of objects that catches our attention: a Buddha side by side with a seductive-looking lady. I don't know who the lady represents, but she wears a bracelet on her arm, and has long hair that twists like a snake.
 

We see several of these figurines of wise old monks; I'm not sure what they would be used for. Perhaps they are kept in the halls and chambers that are reserved only for those who are set apart to do the work. I'm sure the old sage represents someone who is venerated in Theravada Buddhism culture.
 
Eventually we cross a canal and come to Boripat Road, marking the end of our short visit to Buddha Alley. Bangkok is full of hidden treasures, most becoming lost within this urban jungle. Now we walk up the street at our left and make our way toward Wat Saket. ♠