Description
About 5 kilometers before you reach Praya Tao Ngoi (The Great Turtle), you will see Wat Muang Kham (วัดม่วงคำ) on the left hand side. You can identify this Sakon Nakhon temple by its cement wall which is lined with tiny depictions of the Thai guardian figure known as Yaksha. You'll sometimes see large statues of Yakshas standing guard outside of Sakon Nakhon temples, but here the Yakshas are in a squat pose along the wall. This is the other popular pose for Yakshas, appearing as though the are supporting the beams above them, and keeping a structure from collapsing.
Another identifying feature of Wat Muang Kham is its beautiful statue of Buddha with a walking stick and parasol, which has been placed up high upon a pedestal. This is a statue you will see often at Sakon Nakhon temples, but what makes this particular statue unique is that the head of the walking stick is the head of a Naga (Buddha's serpent protector).
There are two 3-headed Naga serpents protecting the entrance to the temple's Ubosot. This is also rather unique, because Naga guardians in front of Sakon Nakhon's temple Ordination Halls (i.e. Ubosots) usually have only one head. A 3-headed Naga is called a Kalyak. In Hinduism, it represents the trinity of gods Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. But in Buddhism, the middle head represents Buddha, the left head the monks, and the right head the Dharma (the cosmic laws and order of the universe).
If you enjoy visiting small, village temples like Wat Muang Kham, keep an eye out for Wat Muang Sum Witthayalai, which is about 1 kilometer further down the road on the right hand side.
