Luang Pho Dvaravati

Luang Pho Dvaravati in Prachinburi Province is a standing Buddha image in the gesture of bestowing the teaching, carved from green sandstone. The figure stands in calm composure, with clean, restrained lines characteristic of early styles in the Chao Phraya basin—before later periods favored more fluid movement. When people hear “Dvaravati,” they often think of sites in the Northeast or Central Thailand, but the eastern city of Si Mahosot also attests to the early flourishing of Buddhist art from the 6th–8th centuries CE (12th–14th Buddhist centuries). This very image is a key witness of the city, still venerated today at the pavilion in front of the Si Mahosot District Office, embodying the bond between ancient objects, local faith, and a living community space.

 

The story of its discovery isn’t dramatic, but it feels human—rooted in everyday life. On a mound within the leprosy settlement of the Camillian center south of the ancient city, patients were tilling the soil and found an unusual stone block. Authorities were notified, and systematic excavation followed in 1971. Besides the Buddha image, a sandstone Dharmachakra (Wheel of the Law) was unearthed—like a built-in caption for the teaching context. The Buddha and the wheel were later registered in the Royal Gazette and installed in a public setting for the district. The National Museum, Prachinburi and the Fine Arts Department have since overseen academic care and conservation.

 

Viewed up close, the image speaks Dvaravati’s visual language clearly. The overall composition is solid and unembellished; the fingertips convey a didactic nuance consistent with what scholars call the “bestowing/teaching gesture,” common among Dvaravati works in various regions. The green sandstone lends a cool tonality unlike the reddish stone familiar elsewhere. Local sources record the height at about 1.63 meters, aligning with what residents and visitors observe, though online figures can vary; we therefore keep the framing cautious when citing technical measurements.

 

The “city” context matters as much as the image itself. Si Mahosot was a Dvaravati hub in the East, with many sites still legible—from earthen ramparts and moats to the Emerald Pond (Sa Morakot) and a pair of sacred Buddha footprints believed to be among the oldest in Siam. Seeing Luang Pho followed by the footprints and sacred waters connects belief with the ancient landscape people relied upon. The placement of sacred nodes across the city’s network—from this pavilion at the district office to forest shrines—becomes more than a sightseeing route; it’s a line of meaning that helps us read Dvaravati’s urban fabric in layers.

 

Today, the story is also about conservation: keeping balance between “being truly in the community” and “meeting museum standards.” The Fine Arts Department and the National Museum, Prachinburi serve as the academic backbone, periodically updating highlights of the city and its must-see antiquities while reaffirming that Luang Pho Dvaravati is a “guardian image of Si Mahosot.” Setting it at the district office makes access easy and devotion continuous, yet must be weighed against environmental controls for humidity, dust, and temperature. Official and local updates show a living site under ongoing care, maintaining equilibrium between faith and preservation.

 

To experience both the “artwork” and the “city,” start in Si Mahosot District. First, visit the pavilion in front of the district office where the image is enshrined, then continue to the Emerald Pond complex and the paired Buddha footprints. From Prachinburi city, follow local highways toward Si Mahosot; self-drive is most flexible for dropping in at smaller sites, while public transport options include vans/buses to Si Mahosot and local songthaews or motorcycle taxis. For the Buddha image, late morning light or late afternoon light is gentle on the green sandstone and helps reveal weathered textures. Dress respectfully, avoid direct contact with the sculpture, and follow on-site guidance to help extend the life of this ancient work.

 

For readers who enjoy “seeing” art through words, this image is an excellent primer in early Buddhist aesthetics: the upright proportions, the plain robe treatment, the hand configuration that implies dialogue between Buddha and listener, the reduction of detail to an ideal core—all are not mere style, but tools for teaching. Before Srivijaya or Sukhothai images spoke through flowing lines, Dvaravati conveyed power through quiet clarity. Luang Pho Dvaravati is thus a kind of time-door, reminding us that serene simplicity can speak deeply and far.

 

Within the community, the image is more than a museum piece; it is “the venerable father” locals know. The way local authorities recount the discovery and publish brief narratives, plus photo archives of key sites in the subdistrict, signals active stewardship shared between community and state. When locals own the story, respect for place rises and values are passed on naturally to visitors. Cultural tourism here grows on understanding, not just check-ins.

 

In the end, Luang Pho Dvaravati teaches balance—between faith and scholarship, past and present, access and longevity. The more we meet the image as art, the more we understand conservation rules; the more we meet it as a communal heart, the more we see that living heritage must breathe with its people. That’s why a visit to Si Mahosot isn’t just “seeing something old,” but hearing the city tell its own story.

 

 

A: At the pavilion in front of the Si Mahosot District Office, Prachinburi Province; it was originally unearthed at the leprosy settlement/Camillian center south of the ancient city of Si Mahosot.

 

A: It belongs broadly to Dvaravati Buddhist art, roughly the 6th–8th centuries CE.

 

A: Green sandstone; approximately 1.63 meters tall, according to locally shared tourism information.

 

A: Late morning or late afternoon light best reveals the stone’s texture. Dress respectfully, avoid direct contact with the image, and follow on-site guidance to support conservation.

 

A: The Emerald Pond (Sa Morakot) complex and the paired Buddha footprints—both key Dvaravati landmarks of Si Mahosot.

 

A: To keep community access for worship while the Fine Arts Department and the National Museum, Prachinburi provide professional oversight and conservation.