Phra That Choengchum

The date of creation was uncertain. However, scholars can speculate its dating in the 12^th century AD from the old architecture in Khmer Art and an inscription which was found on the eastern door frame. However, the material of that prasat is laterite, which was popularly used in the 13th century AD. Later, it was covered by a Lanchang stupa in the 17th century AD.

Phra That Choengchum was listed and declared an ancient monument in the Government Gazette, no.52 section 75 on the 8^th March 1935

Phra That Choengchum is a square-bell-shaped brick-and-stucco stupa in sqaure plan covered a laterite Khmer prasat. Its pyramidal platforms have a niche in each direction. The eastern one is only entrance to the chamber or the Garbhagriha of Khmer prasat, while other three are virtual doorways. Its anda is in square plan, above which lies a lotus pedestal with pointed wire, which can be considered as a ballang. The pyramidal lotus is on the top of the stupa.

Phra That Choengchum was built during the period of Lanchang Kingdom. It covered the old Khmer prasat, which showed the change of a Hindu architecture into a Buddhist architecture, which can be found in other temple in the northeastern region of Thailand. Moreover, this stupa is also a sacred place where, according to the Mythology of Uranghathat, four Lord Buddhas camed and left their footprints.

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Phra That Choengchum inscription was found on the eastern door frame, written in Khmer by ancient Khmer alphabet around the 12th century AD, gave information about the land allocating in Khraleng. The inner land was under the Khraleng village headman, while the outer land was under the Panurapinau village headman.

The Mythology of Uranghathat told the main story of the creation of Phra That Phnom. However, it also mentioned about the history and the lands on the Khong riversides, as well as the story of Phra That Choengchum.

The Mythology of Uranghathat told that Gautama Buddha came to Nonghan Luang and left his footprint on the place where his predecessors, Kakusandha Buddha, Konagamana Buddha and Kassapa Buddha, had left their footprints. Therefore, the stupa was named after these footprints as Phra That Choengchum, which means the Lord Buddhas’ footprints joint. At that time, a king named Praya Suvarnabhingara venerated the religion so much that he took off his golden crown to pray the footprints and built a building (Umong) covered them.

ประภัสสร์ ชูวิเชียร. ศิลปะลาว. กรุงเทพฯ : มติชน, 2558.

ธรรมราชานุวัตร, พระ. และ โสภณเจติยาภิบาล, พระ. อุรังคนิทาน ตำนานพระธาตุพนม (พิสดาร). พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 11, กรุงเทพฯ : จูน พับลิชชิง, 2551.

ศักดิ์ชัย สายสิงห์. เจดีย์ พระพุทธรูป ฮูปแต้ม สิม ศิลปะลาวและอีสาน. กรุงเทพฯ : มิวเซียมเพรส, 2555.