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Phrathat Yakhu

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Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 16.30

Phrathat Yakhu or Phrathat Yai is the largest chedi in Fa Daet Song Yang. It is an octagonal-shaped chedi, made of bricks. Evidence shows that it was constructed for three periods.

The pedestal was in a redented square shape, with staircases at the four directions and decorated with stucco built during the Dvaravati period.

The upper pedestal was in an octagonal shape, built on top of the original one and supporting an old chedi of the Ayutthaya period. The body and the top were created in the Rattanakosin period. Around the Phrathat, there are boundary stones with bas-reliefs depicting the life of the Lord Buddha.

For this Phrathat, local people believe that it stores the bones of a respected senior monk. It can be noticed that when Mueang Chiang Som won the battle, they destroyed everything in Fa Daet Song Yang, except for Phrathat Yakhu.

For this reason, the remains of the Phrathat are still in perfect condition. In the month of May every year, there will be the annual Rocket Festival, which is the ceremony to ask for rain to make the village live in peace.

Wat Pho Chai Semaram or Wat Ban Kom is situated at Ban Sema, opposite the entrance to Fa Daet Song Yang. It is an old temple with a huge collection of old boundary stones of gigantic sizes, which are unique for the northeastern region. The boundary stones found in Fa Daet Song Yang are different from those discovered in other regions, as they were usually carved telling Jataka stories and the life of the Lord Buddha.

There is one most beautiful boundary stone depicting the story when the Lord Buddha came back to Kapilavasdu. The boundary stone depicts King Suddhodhana (his father), Rahula (his son) and Yashodhara Pimpa (his wife) paying the greatest respect to the Lord Buddha, with Yashodhara Pimpa using her hair to clean the Buddha’s feet.

As such, this boundary stone is called "Pimpa Philap" (crying Pimpa). The original of this beautiful boundary marker is now located at the Khon Kaen National Museum.

Category: Places of Worship