THAILAND, AND ESPECIALLY BANGKOK, IS WORLD FAMOUS FOR ITS SPECTACULAR TEMPLES OR WATS THAT OCCUPY ACRES BUT SOME SMALL SHRINES NOT PARTICULARLY GRAND IN ARCHITECTURE ALSO DESERVE MENTION.
Among the quirkiest and most amusing must be the so-called Penis Shrine, the size of a living room next to Saen Seap klong or canal. This patch of land is nondescript but its location is worth millions of ringgit as it is located at the end of the garden that is part of Swissotel Nai Lert PArk Hotel. it is about 100 metres from the swanky hotel's pool.
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Alas, when I returned to pray at Penis shrine, to my deep sorrow I discovered it had been relocated, from next to the klong to the opposite end of Nai Lert park facing Central Embassy and the new6-star Park Hyatt.
So I walked towards Nai Lert Heritage Park, passing by Swissotel which closed end of 2016 and will be turned into Bangkok Hospital under Thailand's biggest hospital operator Bangkok Dusit Medical Services. The hotel was originally Hilton on Nai Lert Park before becoming Swissotel and has closed after 36 years.
There was a real Mr Nai Lert who came from a rich family and became even richer. By the time he died in 1945 he was one of Thailand's richest tycoons who owned vast tracts of land. He sold the prime land to Britain which became British Embassy which UK sold to Central Group which built Central Embassy and soon to open Park Hyatt.
Swissotel sold for RM 1.4 billion and the brand new Bangkok Hospital will rise in 3 to 4 years time.
Nai Lert Heritage Park is beautifully maintained with a historic old building, ponds and much greenery and here I finally found Penis Shrine---a shadow of its old self! Previously, hundreds of penises carved mostly from wood were littered everywhere, including some hanging from ficus tree branches, on the ground, stacked in groups or standing erect so to speak.
The land was devoid of penises and though tidy, had a sad, forlorn feel. A signboard said all are welcome to visit the new Tubtim or Penis Shrine in Nai Lert Heritage Park facing Wireless Road.
HISTORY OF PENIS SHRINE
Around 1920 Nai Lert saw a spirit house floating on the klong next to his land. As it was in good condition, he hauled it up and found 3 small carvings of penises which did not attract much attention as phallic symbols are common, animistic symbols representing luck, prosperity and descendants.
Nai Lert had it repainted and renovated it and installed it next to a huge ficus tree where the deity Chao Mae Tubtim, a powerful tree spirit from pre-Buddhist era was believed to reside.
Due to the presence of the three penises, a houseewife who could not conceive after 10 years of marriage came to pray to Tubtim for a child. Within a month she became pregnant and delivered a healthy baby! The mother attributed her pregnancy to Tubtim and her friends came to ask for same boon. They too were granted and news slowly spread. Others begun bringing carvings of penises as offerings and soon it became a custom!
The sizes of penises ranged from a finger to a canoe, often festooned with ribbons. As dozens of penises ballooned into hundreds and thousands, old ones were removed and donated to temples and devotees. All are realistic regardless of size. Some were painted in skin tones to duplicate the real organs while a few oversized ones were attached to monkeys who playfully had to cling on to them like bolsters!
Through decades, the shrine was purposely kept small as Nai Lert could easily have erected a proper temple but it was said Tubtim appeared to him in a dream to keep it small. Today it is even smaller!
Nai Lert Heritage Park is open to the public and is popular as wedding, anniversary or celebratory venues as it has shop, cafe and restaurant set in verdant surrounds. Well worth a visit after tramping through nearby Central Embassy Mall. By the way, some of the best views of Central Embassy mall and Park Hyatt hotel are from Nai Lert Heritage Park!
