WAT INTHARAM

Wat Intharam is an active temple located off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya, in the Khlong Sra Bua Sub-district.

Wat Intharam (Wat In + Tharam) was named after Indra (Phra In), the King of Devas, Lord of Heaven and God of Rain, Storm and War. The suffix ‘tharam’ is used in Sanskrit for a comparative and superlative form (great - greater, strong - stronger). [1]

The monastery likely dates back to the Ayutthaya era, but clear evidence is missing. All the architectural structures at this monastery date to the Rattanakosin period.

In situ are the typical buildings of a modern monastery: a sermon hall, monk’s quarters, bell tower, crematory tower, and mondop. The ubosot is decorated with some colourful paintings, and a Standing Buddha statue in the Abhaya mudra (dispelling fear) is encased behind glass at the entrance. A crowned Buddha image in the Bhumisparshamudra gesture (victory over Mara) sits inside the ubosot as its primary feature. The mondop contains a single Buddha footprint. One side of the mondop showcases two Buddha statues meditating before a painting of a Wheel of Dharma. Another side of the mondop has a Phra Maha Kaccayana Buddha Statue (fat monk).

The establishment and history of Wat Intharam are unknown.

Wat Intharam on the maps
On a 19th-century map by an unknown surveyor, Wat Intharam is situated nearly opposite the entry of the Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak Canal and Tha Sai or Sand (boat) Landing. Wat Phihan Thong stood east, while Wat Rong Khong was west. There is no indication of a stupa on the map.

On Phraya Boran Rachathanin's [PBR] map of 1926 CE, we find an identical situation. Wat Phihan Thong is renamed Wat Wihan Thong, replacing the old word 'phihan' with the modern 'wihan'. The same applies to 'Taphan' replaced today by 'Saphan' (bridge). PBR still uses Wat Rong Khong, today replaced by Wat Wong Khong. The renaming of ‘Rong’ by ‘Wong’ is related to superstition: ‘rong’, which means building, also sounds like a coffin (Th: long). The word ‘rong’ was not felt like a very auspicious name for a temple, hence the name change. The same occurred to Wat Pradu Songtham, before two temples Wat Pradu and Wat Rongtham. Here also, Rongtham was changed into Songtham.

Wat Intharam is in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 54.41" N, 100° 34' 3.85" E.

References:

[1] Whitney, William Dwight (1979). A Sanskrit grammar including both the classical language, and the older dialects, of Veda and Brahmana. Leipzig, Breitkopf and Härtel. p. 159 #473.