....Listen, Anon. After Ive passed away for a period of time, a city named Hariphunchai will be established ... Right here, where I preside is the site a Suwan Chedi (golden chedi) must be placed... Once Ive passed away an alms bowl full of relics from my head, my chest, my fingers and other parts will be placed here for eternity with Phraya Athittaratch as chairperson overseeing the arrangement
The above text is a prophecy in the Chamadeviwong scripture about the establishment of Hariphunchai and the chedi storing the Buddhas relics of Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai. The builder of the chedi was Phra Athittayaratch.
Meanwhile, the Chinakanmalipakorn text stated that Phra Athitt the 32nd ruler of Hariphunchai was the person who built the temple. The chedi was a castle style chedi with four posts and four doors to store the Buddhas relics that happen to be found in the center of the city.
Due to its being a significant temple and situated in the center of town, it became a duty of all rulers of the Hariphunchai Kingdom to take good care of it. The task was carried on until the time of the Lanna rulers. For example, Phya Mangrai had a chedi built covering the original one. Phraya Saen Mueang Ma (1385-1401) commanded to have the chedi covered with gold whereas Phraya Kawila (1783-1815) had had regalia umbrellas placed at the four corners of the chedi along with a five-tier umbrella placed at the top of the chedi.
On May 1, 1914, a storm struck the vihara and it tumbled down and the chedi was slightly damaged. Only the tip of the tiered umbrella had bent. The Ministry of Interior appointed Phraya Surasiwisitsak, to fix the bent umbrella and appointed Major General Chao Chakkhamkhachonsak, the 10th ruler of Lamphun to oversee the repair of the vihara.
The most important part of this temple is the bell shape Lanna style chedi decorated with eight intermittent quad foil designs, each marking one of the eight directions alternating with 8 Buddha image embossments on gold leafs. The embossments requires extra notice since they were not deep enough to be seen clearly.
To the right of the chedi stands another ancient chedi stands. The Phrapathumchedi or Suwan Chedi was built by Queen Pathumwadi the consor of Phrachao Sapphasit, a ruler of the Hariphunchai Kingdom. It is said that the chedi was an imitation of the Chedi Ku Kut at Wat Chamadevi.
Besides the principal chedi and the Suwan Chedi another important one is the Chedi Chiang Yan at the north of the principal chedi. This chedi is presently in the area of Methiwuthikorn School. Archeologists estimated that it was built in the 17-18 Centuries B.E.
The temple today is dedicated to worshippers who were born in the year of the rooster and is the center of belief for all believers.
Reference
Phraphotirangsi. (2007). Chamadeviwong phongsawadan nakhon hariphunchai (Chamadeviwong the Hariphunchai Chronicles).
Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publising.
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