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Ku Khu Maha That (77)

Maha Sarakham

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Ku Khu Maha That (Khu means cave) is situated at Ban Khwao, tone sanctuary, dated back to the Maha Sarakham Province. The s 13th century A.D., shows the influence of the Khmer architectural style. The square chedi is made of laterite and is grooved with re-entrant angles at each corner. It is 5.5 meters wide and 8 meters tall. The interior chamber, or Ku, can be reached by the front door while the other three sides have false entrances. A laterite wall surrounding the main chedi had collapsed; only the line of the wall remains.

A sandstone image seated cross-legged was found here. Known as the Wacharathon image, the statue is now kept at the Maha Sarakham City Hall. Since the tradition in creating Buddha images is a common Buddhist practice, it is presumed that the sanctuary was a Buddhist monument built by the local people, Ku Khu Maha That, Ma not the Khmer.

Formerly, the sanctuary functioned as a local place for hospitalize sick people that popularly built by the command of King Jayavarman VII (1181-1220 A.D.), the Khmer King. The ancient remains like this are also found in the northeastern region of Thailand which, a thousand years ago, had a good relationship with the Khmer Empire.

Ku Khu Maha That at Muang Boran was constructed in its original size.