Story & photos by Marky Ramone Go
Seven hours after leaving the city of Bangkok and at the stroke of midnight, I found myself on the main highway of old Sukhothai, under the drizzling sky.
With a throbbing head, all brought on by the intermittent sleep, I located my hostel, which to my surprise is housed in a boutique resort property.
“Our Dorm of Happiness, as we call it, is on the second floor. Come, follow me,” the receptionist told me. My bunk bed is in one of the rooms of an old, white wooden house with a terrace facing a picturesque courtyard.
I quickly lay down on my bed feeling the soft and comfy satin sheets and entertained the idea of having a long nap to make up for lost sleep. However, the lure of the olden city of Sukhothai summons. Instead of surrendering into dreamland, I hurriedly went down and rented a bicycle.
Allure of ancient ruins
The ancient city of Sukhothai was the first capital of the Siam Kingdom founded by King Ramkhamhaeng during the 13th century. Much smaller than Ayutthaya, Sukhothai is one of the succeeding Siam capitals established in the 14th century. Its set of temples and monuments in ruins is inside the Unesco World Heritage Site of Sukhothai Historical Park.
The old city walls cover approximately 70 square kilometers, where an impressive list of ancient structure ruins numbering to 193 can be found. Easily toured by foot or by riding a bicycle, I’d spent a total of five days just cycling and walking around this historic park teeming with beautiful reminders of the bygone years of the Siam Kingdom.
Dawn of happiness
The Siam Kingdom that thrived during the foundation of Sukhothai coincided with what many historians call as the Golden Age of Thai Civilization, thus adding to the historical significance of this ancient city.
Sukhothai literally translates to Dawn of Happiness, and it couldn’t have been more fitting in describing a place that conveys a laid-back vibe among the abundance of trees, rolling hills and meandering lakes and ponds. I find the setting mirroring the many charms of the countrysides I’ve been to before-only swarming with remarkable ancient relics.
The historical park can be adequately toured in a day or two, but since I decided to extend my stay for five days, I was able to fully enjoy every bit of my exploration.
I spent my first sunset just seated on the steps of the imposing ruins of Wat Mahathat—one of the most impressive temples in Sukhothai. I caught the glimmer brought by the golden hour, kissing every piece of the towering columns as it led my eyes to its lotus bud-shaped main stupa. I remembered feeling a tinge of spiritual awareness and peace of mind the moment the fiery red sky slowly turned to darkness. As my first night in Sukhothai comes to fold, I took delight at the thought of waking up to a few more dawns in the coming mornings.
A reflective journey
There is always about traveling to ancient cities that forces me to a reflective state. Sukhothai provided me with this same experience, the moment I stepped over its storied grounds.
After spending the morning at Wat si Chum, a 14th century pillared outdoor hall called Mandapa, where a seated 15 meter statue of a Buddha is enclosed inside a hall ruin, I made another round to visit the other temples and palace ruins.
One by one, I stared at the seemingly endless line of Wats (Wat Saphan Hin, Wat Pa Mamuang, Wat Chana Songkhram, Wat Asokaram, Wat Phra Phai Luang) with complete awe and gratitude. I was simply overjoyed at having the opportunity of laying eyes on structures that has witnessed the birth of the Siam culture and the flourishing of the Buddhist faith.
Whether I was lost in wonderment, appreciating all these surviving vestiges of the glorious Siam Kingdom era, or blissfully lost in quiet contemplation staring at the silver lake near the Wat Traphang Ngoen monastery, I would always find a spot where I enjoyed those silent moments while relishing on my Zen state of mind.
“Old age is no cause for regret, regret that one is old, having lived in vain,” reads one of the signs at one of the temples in Sukhothai. I recited these words as I went on a few more cycle laps around the historic park. In the midst of feeling the wind, smelling the trees, and viewing the sky’s reflection on the glass like pond, I finally concluded my meditative journey.
I know I am living my life, not in vain; I know I won’t regret any moment once I reach my twilight years, because there is way of reaching one’s old age beautifully. One just needs to safeguard all things important and scrap all we can live without. Much like how these spectacular ruins of Sukhothai managed to remain standing and be bearers of historical knowledge and spiritual enlightenment after many centuries. There’s beauty there and nothing else.
Image credits: Marky Ramone Go