Temple protectors
(Naga on temple: Chiang Mai area, Thailand)
Yesterday we returned to Bangkok, louchly basking in the harsh light of the first class seats on Thai airways. The flight was so brief, however, that I was able to recline my seat for approximately one minute between fried noodles and landing. Whilst in Chiang Mai we had the good fortune to be driven around the area on Sunday by a local, an old friend of Pete’s father. He took us to some places we could never have found ourselves and we had a constant feeling of uncertainty as to where we would end up next. He was a shortish man with a shrill, staccato quality to his voice which reminded me of a seagull. He was very kind to us, making sure we had water and stopping for food when we all began to flag.
We were travelling in the car and he explained to Pete where we were headed (in Thai, of course) and I distinctly heard “Angelina Jolie”. He was driving us out of the city into narrow roaded wildernesses to stop at a temple where Jolie had allegedly received a Sak Yant tattoo. Now, these tattoos are imbued with special powers, and if the monks are to be believed, a strong faith in the properties of the tattoo will instil in the wearer protection from harm. Allegedly.
Once we arrived, the temple appeared to be at some stage of construction, though this small temple was completely finished. The naga is the enormous snake protecting the temple from both sides, but these ones are special. Even Pete had never seen any curling around in a loop; usually they run down the stairs like a banister and throw their heads back as they reach the bottom, but these turn, forming a huge loop of scales, elaborately installed as temple protectors. Up close, the detail of workmanship in the temples and in the nagas is incredible; the naga’s teeth almost look real, as if by night they might uncurl themselves and slither away to find mischief.
