WAT WONGJAK

Wat Wongjak, or the Monastery of the Chakra (1), is a brick mound located off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya in the Phukhao Thong Sub-district in the Phukhao Thong Felds (2). It was once situated within the Khlong Maha Nak defensive system of canals (3).

A small shrine is constructed on the site, gathering the remains of several Buddha images, next to many bricks, pottery shards, and roof tiles scattered around this site. The area is prone to heavy flooding in the rainy season, which has taken its toll on the ruin.

The monastery shows on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926 CE. Phraya Boran (1871-1936 CE) was the Superintendent Commissioner of Monthon Ayutthaya from 1925 to 1929 CE but occupied important functions since 1896 CE in Monthon Ayutthaya.

The ruin is mentioned as Wat Kong Jak on a Fine arts Department map designed in 2007 CE, but I presume this is a printing mistake.

The site is in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 36.81" N, 100° 32' 45.70" E.

Footnotes:

(1) The defunct monastery is named after a disc-like weapon used by the Hindu God Vishnu, the Sudarshana Chakra, with 108 serrated edges. The Sudarshana Chakra is considered one of the most potent weapons in Hindu mythology.

(2) Thung Phukhao Thong, or the Field of the Golden Mountain, was bordered on the west by the present Chao Phraya River, which occupied the bed of the Bang Kaeo River in the mid-19th century CE. The northern limit ran in line with Khlong Maha Phram on the opposite side of the river. On the east ran Khlong Maha Nak (eastern stretch) and the delimitation in the south was Thung Khwan. The field's name originated from the northern landmark Phukhao Thong or Mountain of Gold. The large chedi was built on the premises of Wat Phukhao Thong. The latter was established in the second reign of King Ramesuan (1388-1395 CE) in 1395 CE. The monastery could have been originally a shrine dedicated to a mountain spirit, who was also the city's guardian - the earliest type of guardian spirit of a city worthy of royal patronage.

(3) Khlong Maha Nak is situated off Ayutthaya's city island in the northern area, in the Phukhao Thong Sub-district. The canal was dug during the Siamese-Burmese war of 1563-1564 CE called the "White Elephant War". The Maha Nak Canal ran from Wat Pa Phlu towards Khlong Phukhao Thong.