Boundary marker

Keywords : Boundary marker , Khon Kaen National Museum, Kulavakachadok, Indra, Chadok

Site common name	Khon Kaen National Museum
Site alternative name	The National Museum Khon Kaen
Type of artwork	Sculpture
Sub district	Nai Mueang
District	Mueang Khon Kaen
Province	Khon Kaen
Region	Northeast
Country	Thailand
Geographic Coordinates Decimal degree	Lat : 16.446119 Long : 102.83852
Geographic Coordinates UTM	Zone : 48 Q Hemisphere : N E : 269213.66 N : 1819516.46
Place of artwork	In the exhibition hall

History of production	The construction history remains unclear. However, the art characteristics suggest that it might have been built in Dvaravati period.
Production process	Rock Carving
Art	The top boundary marker has a pointing edge. It is craved with Indra, his consort and Erawan elephant. Indra is seated in “Lalitasana” posture and holds thunder in his left hand. The tree at the back is assumed to be Parichart, the tree of the second heaven where Indra dwells. On his left, there are 3 people and 1 bird. These are all his consorts including Suthamma, Sujittra, Sunandha, and Suchada who was reborn as an egret because she had not had enough merits. At the back of the consorts, there is “kanok” pattern of Dvaravati style. On the right of Indra, there is an Erawan elephant.
School	Northeast
Key academic information	This is an example of a boundary marker craved with Indra, his consort and Erawan elephant. It is assumed that it was taken from Kulawakachadok, which narrates the story about Indra.
Notice	Discovered from Fahdaadsongyang, Kamalasai District, Kalasin
Period	Historical Period
Art period	Dvaravati
Age	13th -16th centuries BE.
Religion	Buddhism
Religion and belief	Buddhism
Legend	There are several important stories about Indra mentioned in Kulavakachadok. The summary of the story is that when Indra was a human named “Manop”, he had four wives including Suthamma, Sujittra, Sunandha, and Suchada. Manop and his 32 friends built a shelter with facilities. All three wives contributed to this merit making except Suchada. When they died, they were reborn again on the second heaven called “Daodeung” ( meaning 13 because there are 33 senior gods) and Manop became Indra. However, not taking part in the merit making, Suchada were reborn as an egret. Indra came down to teach her about making merits. She had been reborn many times until she was born as a daughter of a beast. Indra marched his army to take her back to the heaven.

Type of License	Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
Rights	Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation	2016-08-19
Record creator	Rungroj Thamrungraeng
Bibliography	รุ่งโรจน์ ธรรมรุ่งเรือง, ทวารวดีในอีสาน. กรุงเทพฯ : มติชน, 2558. รุ่งโรจน์ ธรรมรุ่งเรือง, “หลักหิน-ใบเสมาในวัฒนธรรมทวารวดีภาคตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือของประเทศไทย” กรุงเทพฯ สถาบันวิจัยและพัฒนา มหาวิทยาลัยศิลปากร, 2557. ศักดิ์ชัย สายสิงห์, ศิลปะทวารวดี วัฒนธรรมพุทธศาสนายุคแรกเริ่มในดินแดนไทย. กรุงเทพฯ : เมืองโบราณ, 2547. วชิราภรณ์ ไชยชาติ, นำชมใบเสมาในพิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ ขอนแก่น. กรุงเทพฯ : พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ ขอนแก่น, 2552.