Wat Borom Phuttharam, or the Monastery of the Grand Buddha, is a restored ruin from the late Ayutthaya period (1629-1767 CE) situated on Ayutthaya’s city island in Pratu Chai Sub-district. (1)
The restored ruin stood on the west bank of Khlong Chakrai Noi and the south bank of Khlong Pa Mo, south of Wat Phra Ngam, west of Wat Singharam on the opposite bank, east of the Royal Goods Storehouse and north of Wat Suan Luang Khangkhao. In front of Wat Borom Phuttharam stood a brick bridge across Khlong Chakrai Moi called Whiteclay Village Bridge (2) and linking Pot Village Road with Whiteclay Quarter Road and Wat Phra Ngam Road. [1]
Architecture
The monastery Borom Phuttharam is aligned on a north-south axis. The site consists of an ordination hall (ubosot), a sermon hall (vihara) and two chedis. The layout of this temple is rare as it is set up in the northern direction.
The relatively small ordination hall is 40 metres long and 12 metres wide. It has portico halls, or open porticos, on both its front and back. Only one of the front portico columns remains. The portico roof fell down, probably at the same time as that of the main building. The ubosot has three doorways, with no door panels left the front or central door is a kind of arched doorway called ‘pratu sumyot’, that is, with layers of porch-like formations above it. The side doors are gabled ones, called sum ‘ban thalaeng’. Though badly damaged, the gabled door on the right side of the ordination hall still displays the gracefulness of its gable style. The rows of windows are built in a gabled form on the sides of the hall. The mortar covering the wall has all disappeared, leaving the building in a deserted state. The ubosot houses a brick-and-mortar Buddha image in meditation posture. [2]
History
King Phetracha (reign 1688-1703 CE) of the Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty had it constructed in 1689 CE in an area of his hometown, called Patong District. It took two years to complete its construction. Following the Fine Arts Department, it was dedicated to a community of dwelling monks, especially several high-ranking priests.
"The Supreme Holy Lord Omnipotent, for His part, thereupon made a holy royal resolution, saying, “The Village of Leaf Wrapper Forest is the location of a station of glorious, royal, grand good fortune. It is appropriate this Self should construct on it a holy temple.” Thereupon the King commanded that a crystal wall, a holy recitation hall, a preaching hall, a seminary, and residences and dormitories be constructed. The King commanded Mun Cantharat, a master glazier, to glaze yellow-colored tiles to cover the roofs of the holy recitation hall, the preaching hall and the seminary.
Thereupon the King bestowed a holy name on the temple calling it the Monastery of the Temple of the Paramount Buddha. The lord abbot who had been invited to come in and reside there was appointed to be a Holy Royal Abbot named Reverend Yan Somphot. The King made a holy royal donation, in reverence to the Holy Triple Gems, of holy royal endowed lands in great amounts, the taxes in kind from which were to accrue to that holy temple. When [the construction] was finished, a festival to dedicate it was held for three days and three nights." [3]