Wat Sensoukharam, Luang Prabang

The sim of Wat Sensoukharam, Luang Prabang.

Wat Sensoukharam is a major monastery in Luang Prabang. Its name is also variously transcribed as Wat Sene, Wat Sensoukaram and Vat Sene. The name of the monastery means Monastery of One Hundred Thousand. It is located on Sakkarine Road, the main road that runs parallel to the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. I explored it while documenting the sights in Luang Prabang. I arrived at Wat Sensoukharam just as the monks were getting ready for their main meal of the day, and saw trays of food being laid out for them.

Wat Sensoukharam was built in 1714 by someone called Tia Tiao during the reign of King Kithasarat (1707-25). The most distinctive feature of this monastery is its maroon walls which are richly ornamented and stencilled in gold. The sim has a four-tier roof. On both sides of it are richly ornamented windows, each with four carved balusters. On both sides of the windows are apsaras or deities standing on mystical beasts.

The interior of the sim is painted maroon and extensively stencilled in gold, covering walls, columns and ceiling. There is a large Buddha statue flanked on its left (our right) by statues of venerated monks. Photographs of venerated monks also hang from the stencilled columns.

Within the compound of Wat Sensoukharam are several other shrines and chapels as well as the monks' living quarters. Close to the main entrance are stupas. Another outstanding structure within the compound is the Chapel of the Standing Buddha. The chapel has columns which are ornately stencilled.

Shrines in the compound of Wat Sensoukharam.

The windows of Wat Sensoukharam have four carved balusters, and flanked on both sides with nymphs mounted on mystical beasts.

The standing Buddha is housed in a richly stencilled chapel.

The Chapel of the Standing Buddha, Wat Sensoukharam.

The large seated Buddha image within the sim of Wat Sensoukharam with statues and photographs of venerated monks.

The practically every inch of the sim of Wat Sensoukharam is stencilled.

Food made ready for the partake of the monks of Wat Sensoukharam.

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