The Context Machine

The Erawan Shrine stands majestically in glittering gold at the
busy junction of Ploenchit and Rajadamri Roads in the heart
of downtown Bangkok. Every day, thousands of devotees both
Thai and foreigners pray at the shrine to seek blessings,
fulfillment of dreams, success in personal lives and careers.

What was the origin of the Erawan Shrine and its legend?

Thais believe that there’s a deity or god residing on every plot
of land. Before construction of any structure on the land, a
ceremony must be held on an auspicious date to lay the
foundation so as to appease the deity.

When the project is completed a permanent shrine consisting
of a spirit house, housing the chosen deity, is erected at an
auspicious location on the plot of land. This accounts for the
spirit houses in the gardens of many Thai houses.

In 1953, work commenced to construct the Erawan Hotel some
50 metres behind the present location of the shrine. The
required ceremony of appeasing the land deity was duly
conducted.

However, the project was dogged by delays and mishaps that
spooked the rural Thai construction workers to the point of
halting their work completely.

The hapless contractor turned in desperation to the advice of a
well-respected astrologer, who discovered that the foundation
stone of the building was not laid on an auspicious date.

To reverse the tide of misfortune, a shrine had to be
constructed to honour the god Brahma. The shrine was
inaugurated at the junction on 9 November 1956, a date
carefully chosen this time.

Many foreign visitors tend to refer to the deity as the four-faced Buddha. This
is a misnomer. Brahma is a four-faced
Hindu god worshipped in Brahmanism, a religious system
under orthodox Hinduism. The Thais call Brahma, Than Tao
MahaProm or Phra Phrom.

The shrine was named Erawan after Brahma’s
three-headed elephant. The construction of the hotel proceeded
without any further delays and the building was soon finished.

Word of the power of the shrine spread far and wide and the
legend of the Erawan Shrine. was born. Thais and foreigners,
particularly tourists from SE Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong
flocked to the shrine to seek the blessings of Brahma.

When the international 5 star Hyatt hotel chain took over the
original Erawan Hotel and rebuilt it, the Hyatt management
wisely retained the Erawan Shrine and adopted the name
Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

It doesn’t pay to tamper with matters that can’t be completely
explained by the laws of logic.

In late 2004, a new boutique mall opened up just behind the
shrine and yes, it adopted the name Erawan Bangkok.

The Erawan Shrine retains its aura to this day and remains a
Bangkok legacy that pulls thousands of faithful worshippers.

The Erawan Shrine popularly known as the
Four faced Buddha is a favorite with visitors
to Tour Bangkok Legacies a
historical travel site on people, places and events that left their
mark in the landscape of Bangkok. The author Eric Lim, a
free-lance writer, lives in Bangkok Thailand.