Wat Ku Tao is in Tambon Si Phum, Meuang District, Chiang Mai. No clear evidence states when it was built but a legend is told that it was built due to a deal between Chiang Mai and Burma on a bet on building a chedi. At the time the Burmese attempted to conquer Chiang Mai but failed, the bet was to see who could finish building a chedi first. The Burmese progressed much faster so the Chiang Mai side tricked them by painting mattresses in a brick-red color and molded a chedi-like sculpture that could fool viewers from a distance. The Burmese saw it and withdrew their army.
The Ku Tao chedi is unique from those of other temples. It is shaped like five alms offering bowls stacked up from large to small. Each level would have four arched Buddha image bays, one on each side containing one Buddha image each. Each level of the chedi is covered with floral stucco decorations. Its tip is decorated with a small tiered umbrella.
Reference
Chiang Mai Teachers College. Arts and Cultural Center. (1991?). Wat samkhan khong nakhon Chiang Mai (important temples of Chiang Mai).
(in Thai). Chiang Mai: So. Sap Kan Phim.
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Chiang Mai University, Funder
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1998
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