Wat Intharavihara
( Wat In ) is located on Visut
Kasat Road, near Bang Khun Phrom Intersection opposite the Bank
of Thailand . The temple was built before the founding of the capital
and was originally called Wat Bang Khun Phrom Nok. It was renovated
and renamed Wat Intharam when King Rama I provided land in Bang
khun Phrom Sub-district for the settlement of prisoners of war from
Vientiane. Chao In, an uncle of Chao Noi Khiew Khom, one of the
King's chief wives, renovated the temple and invited Chao Khun Phra
Aranyik, a monk who had also come from Vientiane, to preside as
an abbot. Chao Inthawong , the son ofSomdej Phra Boworn Rajchao
Mahasakdipholasep, was responsible for a second renovation.
Chao Khun Phra Aranyik was an expert
in meditation and had once been the instructor of Somdej Phra Buddhacharn
( To ) of Wat Rakhangkhositaram, who initiated the construction
of Luang Pho To, a large standing Buddha image. The construction
of the image had reached only to the navel when Somdej Phra Buddhacharn
died. It was completed in the reign of King Rama VII.
Luang
Pho To is a statue of the Buddha holding an alms bowl. When the
statue was completed, the temple held a three-day celebration on
4-6 March, 1928, and this festival has been held annually ever since.
King Rama VI renamed the temple Wat
Intharavihara because the name was the same as Wat Intharam ( Wat
Bangyirua Tai ) in Thonburi. People generally refer to the temple
as Wat In, Wat In Bang Khun Phrom, or Wat Luang Pho To.
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