Description
Wat Khu Sanam (วัดคูสนาม) is a Sakon Nakhon village temple located about 2 kilometers south of Wat Pa Don Nang Kom (วัดป่าดอนนางก้อม). Wat Khu Sanam translated into English means Temple of the Moat. But there is no moat, as far as we saw in our visit. Perhaps the "moat" is symbolic, referring to the wisdom of the Dharma which can form a moat around the individual, protecting them from harmful attackers.
Wat Khu Sanam is unique for the gables of its Ubosot, which feature Phra Narai riding a Garuda. Phra Narai is the Thai version of Vishnu, who is one of the three main deities of Hinduism, the other two being Brahma and Shiva. We know that the figure is Vishnu because of his 4 arms and hands, as well as the Garuda that he is riding.
A Garuda is a mythical creature often depicted as half bird and half man, with large wings like that of an eagle and human face with a beak. One of the gables at Wat Khu Sanam shows the Garuda depicted in this traditional fashion. On the other gable, the Garuda is depicted (rather unusually) with a long, narrow neck, slim head, and plump legs. These kind of differences are typical of Sakon Nakhon temples, where many statues are created to be unique, rather than imitation copies.
