Description
Wat Sawang Samakkhi (วัดสว่างสามัคคี) is a rural, village temple in Sakon Nakhon, one of two Buddhist temples in the province that go by this name. Two other temples named Wat Sawang Samakkhi also exist in the neighboring provinces of Kalasin and Maha Sarakham. This incarnation of the temple is in the Khamin sub-district, about 30 minutes from the Sakon Nakhon Airport in the direction of Udon Thani.
Wat Sawang Samakkhi has one of our favorite gold Buddha statues, a playful sacred sculpture that is unlike any we have seen in the 150+ Sakon Nakhon temples that we have visited to date. The oversized legs and face are totally unique, although the broad shoulders, with slender waist, and flame on the crown show that it is inspired from the Sukkhothai period.
Wat Sawang Samakkhi has a beautiful entrance gate that was built in recent years, as well as a new wall around the temple grounds with Naga serpent guardiana. It has a simple worship building (Viharn) with mural painting of the Buddha under the Bodhi tree in the gable, as you will see at other local temples too.
Wat Sawang Samakkhihas is walking distance (1.3km) from Wat Pa Ban Khamin, another small village temple with one of our favorite sculptures of the Hindu god Ganesha. If it is not too hot a day, the area is a nice one to take a rural walk. You could also walk to Don Tham Priest's Camp Site, which is only 1.2 kilometers away.
