I should admit that our stay in Thailand had so far been inspiring with the amazing tourist destination such as the Sanctuary of Truth. With fond memories of the place, we traveled to our next destination, which was the Tiger Cave Temple of Thailand. It is an ancient Buddhist temple and stands tall among the most sacred sites of the country. This temple is situated at the North-eastern part of Krabi province of Thailand and is renowned for its spiritual, as well as historic significance.
Tiger Cave Temple in Thailand | Image Resource : wikimedia.org
As I reached the Tiger Cave Temple, I could easily guess that it has been named after the tiger paw prints, which are inscribed in the cave. The temple also houses tall statues of Buddha and one can reach the pious site by climbing a strenuous flight of stairs, which lead to the summit where the temple is located. The pathway to the Tiger Cave Temple is also very beautiful and the hard work is worthwhile due to the panoramic view, which can be experienced from the apex.
The temple also holds great historic significance as it dates back to the year 1975. The foundation of this temple was laid when a famous Vipassana monk called Jumnean Seelasettho meditated under this particular cave. During his meditation, the monk saw tigers roaming around inside the cave. Due to this experience, the temple was named as Wat Tham Suea. According to ancient legends a huge tiger used to roam around the cave and hence, the paw prints of the tiger engraved on the cave are manifestations of these beliefs.
The temple also holds great historic significance as it dates back to the year 1975. The foundation of this temple was laid when a famous Vipassana monk called Jumnean Seelasettho meditated under this particular cave. During his meditation, the monk saw tigers roaming around inside the cave. Due to this experience, the temple was named as Wat Tham Suea. According to ancient legends a huge tiger used to roam around the cave and hence, the paw prints of the tiger engraved on the cave are manifestations of these beliefs.
Wat Tham Sua | Image Resource : wikimedia.org
The top of the temple can be reached after climbing a total of 1237 stairs, which is quite a tedious task. Some of these stairs are even as high as a foot. The temple is located at a height of 278 meters. There is another fleet of stairs that comprise of 184 steps and leads to the foot hills region, where the monks reside in the caves.
One should be a bit careful about the monkeys who are seen roaming around the caves and stairs. A few visitors have been reported to be attacked by monkeys roaming in the premises. Hence, the visit to the Tiger Cave temple was quite a thrilling and at the same time peaceful experience amidst the natural beauty of the tropical rain forests of the Kiriwong Valley.
One should be a bit careful about the monkeys who are seen roaming around the caves and stairs. A few visitors have been reported to be attacked by monkeys roaming in the premises. Hence, the visit to the Tiger Cave temple was quite a thrilling and at the same time peaceful experience amidst the natural beauty of the tropical rain forests of the Kiriwong Valley.
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