Devotees witness equinox phenomenon at Phitsanulok’s iconic temple

Many devotees and tourists gathered at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahatat (Wat Yai) in Phitsanulok on Thursday to pay their respects to Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, one of Thailand’s most revered Buddha statues. 

Thursday (March 20) was particularly significant as it marks the vernal equinox, when the sun is directly overhead at the equator, signifying the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Every year, this astronomical phenomenon creates a striking visual effect during sunset at Wat Yai, when the last ray of the sun shines through the main hall’s doors and spotlights the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat statue. The 3.5-metre-tall statue, covered in gold, is regarded as one of the most beautiful Buddha images in Thailand. 

Orapin Riyaprao, a historian and expert in astronomical heritage, said the vernal equinox does not just mark the changing of the seasons, but also reflects the relations between religion, art and science in ancient archiecture. 

She said Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat is one of the best examples of how ancient architecture was connected to nature. The phenomenon where sunlight shines onto Phra Phuttha Chinnarat can be observed twice a year, during the vernal equinox in March and the autumnal equinox in September, she added.