Treasures waiting to get explored - Wat Pumin
The influential temple in the hidden valley
Wat Pumin, arguably the most influential temple in modern northern Thai painting is located in Nan.
The murals in Wat Pumin depict a sensitive time in northern Thai history. This is when the French appeared in the late 19th century. There appears to be plenty of politics to be read in to these murals and they also show daily life with a sense of irony and humor. The murals were painted from 1894 and after and is claimed to have the theme of orphanhood, depicting the story of Gaddhana. Was it maybe as to show how Nan had been orphaned by Bangkok when half of its area was ceeded to the French?
In Wat Pumin you can walk for hours and study these fantastic murals:
Nan is still one of the least visited provinces of Thailand, a province that TAT has tried to promote for years. Just like Loei it’s still really in the backwaters. A friendship agreement has been signed between Luang Prabang and Nan to develop the overland route between the two places. Nan is still waiting to be explored and Wat Pumin as well as Wat Nong Bua are some of the reasons to go there.
Read more about Thai Murals in David K Wyatts book, Reading Thai Murals.
Text and photos
Per Sundberg
