The Legend of the Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao Suchadaram

Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao Suchadaram .. The legend of the origin of the Emerald Buddha .. The temple is located in Wiang Nuea Subdistrict, Mueang Lampang District, Lampang Province. It is an ancient and beautiful temple with a history spanning over a thousand years. It was once the enshrined location of the Phra Buddha Maha Mani Rattana Patimakorn (Emerald Buddha) from 1436 AD for a period of 32 years. .. The reason Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao is named as such is due to a legend that Lady Suchada found an emerald inside a watermelon (locally called 'mak tao') and offered it to the abbot to carve into a Buddha image, which became known as Phra Kaew Don Tao. Later, it was moved to be enshrined at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, where it remains to this day. .. Important religious sites within Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao include the large chedi that houses the Buddha's hair relics, a beautiful Burmese-style mondop enshrining a large Buddha image, and a vihara housing a reclining Buddha image. .. To reach Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao, one must cross the Ratchadaphisek Bridge and then turn right onto Phra Kaew Road. After about 1 kilometer, the prominent chedi can be seen atop a hill.