Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai
The monastic name was derived from the name of the city. Buddha predicted that there would be people establishing this place as a city, and named Hariphunchainakorn during his brief stopover collecting alms. He was offered some myrobalan fruits by the Lua people.
The prediction came true in the year B/E 1204 where two hermits Wasuthep from Suthep mountain and Sukkatanta from Lopburi named the new city as Hariphunchainakorn. Hariphunchainkorn means a town where the Buddha had eaten some myrobalan fruits.
After the Buddha had eaten some myrobalan-fruits, he gave his hair to Phaya Chompoonagaraj and Phaya Kapuak as he was about to leave for other towns. The two Phayas kept the Buddha’s hair-relics in a cylindrical bamboo and put it into the glassy urn before burying under the site where the Buddha had ever sat down on the big stone.
It is the present location of Hariphunchai pagoda and the pagoda was enlarged over the years and standing 46m high having nine tiered umbrella, made of gold weighing approximately 6,498.75 grams, placing on the top. The base is of square shape with 20 meters in length on each side and considered one of the eight holiest chedi in Thailand.
The bones of Queen Chammadevi , the first King of Chammadevi Dynasty , were kept in a quadrilateral pagoda. The people called this pagoda “Suwanjunggoti Jedee” in the past. It was renamed as Wat Chammadevi by Phraya Dhamrongrajanupab located on San Pa Tong Road and built in 1298 B.E. in the Lawo (Lopburi) style.
Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai is not only a holy place, but also a tutelary temple of Lampang city. At present this Wat has been developed and promoted as a tourist place where a lasting impression is left on both Thai and foreign visitors.It is also an important pilgrimage site for people born in the Year of the Rooster.
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