Description
Phaya Surayn Nakarat (ต่อพญาสุเรนทร์นาคราช) is a shrine honoring Indra and the Naga serpent king. It is located on a small pond just down the street from Wat Na Santitham in the village of Ban Na. There are many more Naga serpent statues and shrines in Sakon Nakhon than other provinces in Thailand, because Sakon Nakhon is believed to be a Naga city, with the semi-divine Nagas residing under Nong Han lake. At the famous city temple of Wat Phra That Choeng Chum there is a well which legend says directly leads to the Nagas' dwelling place.
The villagers of Ban Na believe a secondary entrance to the netherworld exists below the pond, and thus a shrine has been built, where worshipers light candles, recite a special incantation to the king of the Nagas, and make merit. In the shrine's small pagoda, you'll find a Naga serpent protecting not the Buddha (as is often seen at Thai temples), but the Hindu god Indra. One of the many Thai names for Indra is Surayn (สุเรนทร์), and the name of this shrine "Phaya Surayn Nakarat" could be translated as Indra's Naga Serpent King.
Outside the Pagoda, you'll see additional Hindu mythological figures, such as the elephant-headed god Ganesha (the god of beginnings) and the 4-armed Vishnu (the god of preservation), as well as a Buddhist hermit monk and Guan Yin (the goddess of mercy). Two cement staircases descend directly into the pond, one with Naga serpents on the guardrails. There are unlit candles provided, if you would like to light one and make a prayer for assistance in your life.
