Location: Erawan Shrine, Bangkok, Thailand (13� 44' 49? N, 100� 32' 23? E)
Date: 28 October 2009, 11.05am
Camera: Canon 400D with Sigma 17-70/f2.8-4.5
The Erawan Shrine or San Phra Phrom is located diagonally opposite to Central World Shopping Mall in central Bangkok (part of the Central World Shopping Mall was burned down in the recent Red Shirt riots on 19 May 2010). The shrine is a well-known landmark in Bangkok, familiar to Thais and foreigners as thousands of devotees both Thai and foreigners pray at the shrine to seek blessings, fulfillment of dreams, success in personal lives and careers every day. The shrine was actually constructed to honor the 4-faced Hindu god, Brahma. However the shrine is popularly known to foreign visitors as the 4-face Buddha; which is incorrect as it is a not a Buddha. The shrine got its name, Erawan, from Brahma�s 3-headed elephant.
The gold plated plaster Brahma statue was smashed and destroyed on 21 March 2006 by a mentally ill man- he was beaten to death on the spot by two workers. The statue was replaced by metal one made of an alloy, nawaloha, consisting of nine metals including gold and silver. It remains as popular prayer shrine as its predecessor.
