History of Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine

History of Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine with heartfelt stories from mr.hotsia

On one of my trips to Khon Kaen, the central city of the Isan region where I have traveled many times, the feeling I experienced was not just modernity or delicious food, but also the historical and cultural stories hidden in important places such asKhon Kaen City Pillar Shrinewhich I, mr.hotsia, want to tell you in detail and vividly, as if we were sitting and chatting on Khon Kaen Walking Street.

First, I must say that the Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine is not located directly in downtown Khon Kaen, but it originally started atBan Non Mueang, Chum Phae Districtwhich is about 1 kilometer from Chum Phae district center. It used to be a high mound covering about 20 rai, surrounded by a double canal with a bridge and only one entrance and exit. Locals call this area "Ku," which is considered a sacred place in the locality.

I, mr.hotsia, remember that when I visited Chum Phae, I heard that before this city pillar existed, there was a reclining Buddha image carved on a rock in this area, which has now become a forest temple. The story of Khon Kaen's city pillar had a turning point in April 1955 when an elder dreamed of an old man dressed in white saying, "I want to live in the city" and "I want to be the city's guardian spirit." This dream led him to respectfully report to Phra Ratchasart Dhammamuni, or Luang Pho Kanha, the provincial monk leader of Khon Kaen.

After hearing the story, the monk asked about the characteristics of the place and was told it was an old Ku with a large forest, dense trees, many stone pillars, and boundary stones. This made the monk believe that the city pillar should be brought into the city to be the guardian spirit of Khon Kaen people, as the province did not yet have its own city pillar.

Afterwards, the monk coordinated with the then governor of Khon Kaen, Luang Phinit, and assigned Phra Maha Sukon along with monks and provincial officials to bring the city pillar from the Ku at Ban Non Mueang to downtown Khon Kaen.

However, the journey was not as easy as expected. On the way back, heavy rain and lightning struck the city pillar, causing the vehicle to get stuck in the mud and unable to continue. The team decided to temporarily store the city pillar at Wat Phra Non Chum Phae and then reported the incident to the monk.

The monk then personally went to bring the city pillar and organized a small celebration with Mor Lam singing and shadow puppet shows at Wat Phra Non for one night to create auspiciousness and faith among the villagers. The four city pillars were then placed at important locations, with the first pillar installed atKhon Kaen City Pillar Shrinethe second pillar at Chum Phae District, and the other two pillars in front of the ubosot at Wat Srinuan in Khon Kaen city.

The city pillars are octagonal sandstone pillars about 3 meters high, engraved with ancient Khmer script, which made me, mr.hotsia, deeply feel the antiquity and faith that Khon Kaen people have towards these city pillars.

Connection with Life and Culture in Present-day Khon Kaen

When visiting Khon Kaen, it's not only the City Pillar Shrine that is interesting because this province is full of vibrant activities worth following, such as strolling alongKhon Kaen Walking Streetwhere I felt like truly experiencing the city lifestyle, or tasting local breakfast dishes likeJok, Jab, Sen (rice porridge and noodle dishes)including famous restaurants likeNoi Lab Pedwhich I always stop by to eat every time I visit.

Experiences from playing tennis in downtown Khon Kaen or visiting Ubolrat Dam not far away helped me understand that Khon Kaen is not just a major city in Isan but also a city with a harmonious blend of diverse culture and nature.

Closing Words from mr.hotsia

For anyone who has the chance to visit Khon Kaen, I encourage you to pay a visit to the Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine yourself to feel the faith and history that locals have preserved so it won't fade with time. Then take a walk along Khon Kaen Walking Street, taste local food, and absorb the lifestyle of the people here together.

I, mr.hotsia, believe that this kind of travel will make you love this city as much as I do. If you like my travel style, don't forget to follow other stories such as visiting Ubolrat Dam or playing tennis in Khon Kaen that I have shared to make your Khon Kaen trip even more complete.