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The Walking Buddha at Phuttha Monthon
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The Walking Buddha at Phuttha Monthon (Buddha Mandala)
Through the centuries Buddhism
has been the main driving force in Thai cultural development.
In 1957 (B.E. 2500), to corn
memorate the 2500th anniversary of
the Buddha's Pariniruana, Premier Field
[Marshal Phibulsonggram initiated the
construction project of a Buddha's
precinct called Phuttha Monthon
(Buddha Mandala) by securing 160
hectares of land in Nakhon Pathom.
Intended as a center of all
Buddhist learnings, various buildings
were to be erected on this vast
consecrated piece of land. Libraries
were to be built to collect Buddhist
manuscripts, scriptures and other
related literary works. Also planned
were buildings for religious training for
monks, scholars, and interested laymen
from ail over the world. Museums were
also to be constructed to house
Buddhist religious objects.
After a long delay, the project was
revived in 1973 by General
Kriengsak's government. In 1980,
Prime Minister General Prem appointed
the Fine Arts Department to cast a
Buddha image in the walking posture,
which had originally been made several
decades ago by Prof. Silpa Bhirasri, the
father of modern Thai art.
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