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Chiang Mai is often called Thailand’s ‘Rose of the North’, and is the country’s second city and a popular tourist destination due primarily to its mountainous scenery, colourful ethnic hilltribes and their handicrafts.<br/><br/> Founded in 1296 by King Mengrai as the capital of his Lanna kingdom, Chiang Mai was later overrun by Burmese invaders in 1767. The city was then left abandoned between 1776 and 1791. Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam in 1774 by an agreement with local prince Chao Kavila, after the Siamese King Taksin helped drive out the Burmese. Chiang Mai then slowly grew in cultural, trading and economic importance.
Opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the species of plant from which opium and poppy seeds are extracted. Opium is the source of many opiates, including morphine, thebaine, codeine, papaverine, and noscapine.<br/><br/> The Latin botanical name means the 'sleep-bringing poppy', referring to the sedative properties of some of these opiates.
Wat Phuak Hong (วัดพวกหงษ์), the 'Temple of the Flight of Swans', is located in the southwest corner of Chiang Mai Old City. A typical small Lan Na temple, it is chiefly notable for the round stupa that stands to the west of the viharn. Built in the 16th century, the rounded structure has seven diminishing tiers encircled by a total of 52 niches for images of the Buddha,some of which survive today, though in a rather damaged condition.<br/><br/> This unusual structure, one of only four round, stepped stupas in northern Thailand, is sometimes described as a pagoda, while some experts suggest it shows signs of influence from neighbouring Yunnan Province in China. An alternative explanation is that it is a round version of the square stepped stupas dating from the 12th century found in nearby Lamphun.<br/><br/> The Hamsa (from Sanskrit हंस haṃsa), also hong or hongsa, is an aquatic bird, often considered to be a goose or sometimes a swan. It is used in Indian and Southeast Asian culture as a symbol and a decorative element.<br/><br/> King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning "new city") in 1296, and it succeeded Chiang Rai as capital of the Lanna kingdom. Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand.
Wat Phuak Hong (วัดพวกหงษ์), the 'Temple of the Flight of Swans', is located in the southwest corner of Chiang Mai Old City. A typical small Lan Na temple, it is chiefly notable for the round stupa that stands to the west of the viharn. Built in the 16th century, the rounded structure has seven diminishing tiers encircled by a total of 52 niches for images of the Buddha,some of which survive today, though in a rather damaged condition.<br/><br/> This unusual structure, one of only four round, stepped stupas in northern Thailand, is sometimes described as a pagoda, while some experts suggest it shows signs of influence from neighbouring Yunnan Province in China. An alternative explanation is that it is a round version of the square stepped stupas dating from the 12th century found in nearby Lamphun.<br/><br/> The Hamsa (from Sanskrit हंस haṃsa), also hong or hongsa, is an aquatic bird, often considered to be a goose or sometimes a swan. It is used in Indian and Southeast Asian culture as a symbol and a decorative element.<br/><br/> King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning "new city") in 1296, and it succeeded Chiang Rai as capital of the Lanna kingdom. Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand.
Wat Lok Moli or ‘topknot of the world’ is thought to have been founded by King Ku Na, the 6th king of the Mangrai Dynasty (1263–1578), who ruled the Lan Na Kingdom from Chiang Mai between about 1367 and 1388. It was probably a royal temple, since the northern side of the city was a royal precinct at the time; certainly the sanctuary enjoyed a long and close association with the Mangrai rulers. According to a notice at the south entrance of the temple, King Ku Na invited a group of ten monks from Burma to come and live in Chiang Mai, providing Lok Moli as a residence for them.<br/><br/> The huge chedi that distinguishes Lok Moli was built in 1527, perhaps after the orders of the 11th Mangrai monarch, King Muang Kaeo (1495–1526), but apparently during the first year of the first reign of his younger brother, King Ket Chettharat (1526–1538).
Mandalay Palace was constructed between 1857 and 1859 as part of King Mindon's new royal capital city of Mandalay, in fulfillment of a Buddhist prophecy that a religious center would be built at the foot of Mandalay Hill. In 1861 the court was transferred to the newly built city from the previous capital of Amarapura.<br/><br/> The plan of Mandalay Palace largely follows the traditional Burmese palace design, inside a walled fort surrounded by a moat. The palace itself is at the center of the citadel and faces east. All buildings of the palace are of one story in height. The palace was the primary royal residence of King Mindon and King Thibaw, the last two kings of the country.<br/><br/> On Nov. 28, 1885, the British entered the palace and captured the royal family, officially ending the Third Anglo-Burmese War. The British looted the palace, and turned the palace compound into Fort Dufferin. Much of the palace compound was burned down during World War II by allied bombing; only the royal mint and the watch tower survived. A replica of the palace was rebuilt in the 1990s with some modern materials.<br/><br/> Today, Mandalay Palace is a primary symbol of Mandalay and a major tourist destination.
Opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the species of plant from which opium and poppy seeds are extracted. Opium is the source of many opiates, including morphine, thebaine, codeine, papaverine, and noscapine.<br/><br/> The Latin botanical name means the 'sleep-bringing poppy', referring to the sedative properties of some of these opiates.
From a 1543 CE edition of the ‘Khamsa’ published in Shiraz, this illustration shows the Sassanid prince Bahram Gur visiting the red pavilion of the Slavic princesses. The Khamsa, or Hamsa, is a series of five lengthy epic poems written by the Persian poet Nezami-ye Ganjavi in the 12th century. The first of these five poems, all of which were composed in the ‘Masnavi’ form, is the didactic work Makhzan ol-asrar (The Treasury of Mysteries); the next three are traditional love stories; and the fifth, the ‘Eskandar-nameh’, records the adventures of Alexander the Great.
The Songkhla National Museum building was originally built in 1878 and was the residence of the deputy governor of Songkhla, Phraya Suntharanuraksa. It was built in the Southern Thai-Chinese architectural style.<br/><br/> The name Songkhla is actually the Thai corruption of Singgora (Jawi: سيڠڬورا); its original name means 'the city of lions' in Malay. This refers to a lion-shaped mountain near the city of Songkhla.<br/><br/> Songkhla was the seat of an old Malay Kingdom with heavy Srivijayan influence. In ancient times (200 AD - 1400 AD), Songkhla formed the northern extremity of the Malay Kingdom of Langkasuka. The city-state then became a tributary of Nakhon Si Thammarat, suffering damage during several attempts to gain independence.
The Pāla Empire, one of the major middle kingdoms of India, existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala (Modern Bengali: পাল pāl), which means protector. The Palas were often described by opponents as the Lords of Gauda. The Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty. He came to power in 750 in Gaur by a democratic election. This event is recognized as one of the first democratic elections in South Asia. He reigned from 750–770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over all of Bengal. The Buddhist dynasty lasted for four centuries (750–1120 CE) and ushered in a period of stability and prosperity in Bengal. They created many temples and works of art as well as supporting the Universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. Somapura Mahavihara built by Dharmapala is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent.<br/><br/> The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala. Dharmapala extended the empire into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This triggered once again the power struggle for the control of the subcontinent. Devapala, successor of Dharmapala, expanded the empire to cover much of South Asia and beyond. His empire stretched from Assam and Utkala in the east, Kamboja (modern day Afghanistan) in the north-west and Deccan in the south. According to a Pala copperplate inscription Devapala exterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Pragjyotisha (Assam), shattered the pride of the Huna, and humbled the lords of Pratiharas, Gurjara and the Dravidas.<br/><br/> The death of Devapala ended the period of ascendancy of the Pala Empire and several independent dynasties and kingdoms emerged during this time. However, Mahipala I rejuvenated the reign of the Palas. He recovered control over all of Bengal and expanded the empire. He survived the invasions of Rajendra Chola and the Chalukyas. After Mahipala I the Pala dynasty again saw its decline until Ramapala, the last great ruler of the dynasty, managed to retrieve the position of the dynasty to some extent. He crushed the Varendra rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Orissa and Northern India.<br/><br/> The Pala Empire can be considered as the golden era of Bengal. Never had the Bengali people reached such height of power and glory to that extent. Palas were responsible for the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and Myanmar. The Palas had extensive trade as well as influence in south-east Asia. This can be seen in the sculptures and architectural style of the Sailendra Empire (present-day Malaya, Java, Sumatra). The Pala Empire eventually disintegrated in the 12th century weakened by attacks of the Sena dynasty followed by the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khilji's Muslim armies.