Wat Klang

Wat Klang (วัดกลาง) is a peaceful village temple in Phanna Nikhom, Sakon Nakhon. The name translates to The Central Temple or Center Temple. We are not sure what the central/center location is with respect to, but the temple is centrally located between two other beautiful Phok Noi village temples on the highway back to Sakon Nakhon from Udon Thani: Wat Sai Thong and Wat Rattaphum, which are positioned 1-2 kilometers on either side of Wat Klang.

Wat Klang features a new white Ubosot, which has been ornately designed with gold accents, doors, windows, dharma wheels, and lanterns in the four corners of the walls surrounding the Ubosot. In addition, there are beautiful, flowing Naga serpents flanking the steps to the Ordination Hall, and 9 sacred iron balls known as Luk Nimit (ลูกนิมิตร) — also spelled Look Nimit or Luuk Nimit.

When an Ubosot is being built, a Luk Nimit iron ball is placed under each of the 8 Sema Stones (boundary stones), with a 9th ball placed beneath the main Buddha statue inside the Ubosot. When you see these metal balls outside of a completed Ubosot, or somewhere else on the temple grounds, these are often the Luk Nimit of the temple's old Ubosot, which no longer exists. Thai worshipers make merit at certain times of the year by placing gold leaf on the black painted holy balls.