Seeking a Valentine's soulmate at Bangkok's Shrine to Love
Hundreds of Bangkokians flocked to the Trimurti Shrine at CentralWorld on Thursday to pray for good fortune, prosperity, but most importantly, love.
The Trimurti comprises the three most powerful Hindu gods – Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer – and is said to grant lovers' wishes between 9.30pm and 10pm every Thursday.
The shrine was busy on Thursday as worshippers prayed to find love on Valentine’s Day, which falls on Monday.
Lovelorn singles, often wearing red, turn up at the shrine in the city’s shopping district every Thursday evening, bringing red roses as offerings to the god of love in the hope of meeting their soulmate.
Legend has it that those who visit the shrine often get their prayers answered. Many have even claimed that Trimurti’s mystical power has secured matches between Thais and foreigners.
The shrine can get so crowded on Thursday nights that visitors have to queue for their turn.
Before Covid arrived, worshippers carrying red roses crammed into the Lover’s Shrine every Valentine’s Day. The crowd comprised mostly of young women, kneeling before the Trinity of Gods, clasping joss sticks and praying with their eyes closed.
The Hindu Trimurti represents the three aspects of God — Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.
Built in 1989, the shrine features a raised platform sheltered by a dome supported by four pillars with elaborately carved gables on all four sides. The gold statue of Trimurti appears as a human body with two heads and four arms.
