Day 3 // 6 Jan

Today we visited the Doi Suthep temple in the morning, but it was a bit of a miss for me. I felt it was overcrowded, slightly too commercialized and though I may not be a Buddhist, I could not connect to the place spiritually. Some friends told me that if I had participated in the ritual of walking around the shrine, I would be able to feel more connected to the temple, and that when walking alone with your eyes closed, it feels as if the world around you falls away and in that moment nothing else exists except you and your own thoughts. They do make a valid point, and perhaps yes, I could have felt all these if I had chosen to participate in the ritual too. But must I engage in such activities just to meditate or feel at peace and connected with the temple? Should I not feel peace, reflective, even tranquility no matter which part of the temple I am in? I find that the very fact that my friends said what they said is ironic. They are not wrong in their point, but it did make me reflect more about the true, current purpose and effect of the temple on its visitors. Prof. Walsh’s advice from last night is definitely slowly integrating into my experiences and reflections!

There’s a possibility that I could have been to critical and maybe I just needed more time to immerse myself and understand the custom, history and stories behind the temple to fully appreciate it. I think the main reason why I did not leave Doi Suthep with a relatively good impression stemmed from what I heard from one of the tour guides we interviewed. He told us that Doi Suthep is regarded as one of the major temples of Chiang Mai mainly due to its location; its centrality in the city makes it easier for the locals to travel and send their donations to. The monks, however, when they want a time of real, genuine meditation, will retreat to the smaller temples out in the countryside, where it is more secluded and there is lesser congestion that may distract them from their rituals and prayers. I feel that if the monks themselves choose to conduct their rituals and meditation elsewhere besides Doi Suthep, then can Doi Suthep really be seen as a genuine place of dedication and worship? Do the monks at Doi Suthep feel like they are just performers in a never ending circus?

Revisiting my previous point about needing more time to fully appreciate something, I believe this rings true for many heritage or cultural sites and monuments. I have been thinking more about this the past few days, especially since I am in the heritage group. Now I know why the programs had planned for us to visit these specific sites; you truly do reflect a lot more particularly when you are challenged to explore and question. I feel that in today’s society, it is slightly more difficult for the younger generations to fully appreciate the long lasting history, customs, values and principles of their cultures. Appreciation follows understanding, and understanding requires someone to disseminate information and nurture or cultivate the initial interest in something.

I find that in Singapore, the main reason why my generation and those after us have difficulties appreciating the local arts and cultural scene, is the lack of engagement. However, we should not blame the younger generation themselves for their lack of interest or understanding. I too know that in the midst of schooling, studying and socializing, exposure to history and culture of the country may take the back seat. I believe this is where education and involvement of organizations and the government should step in. Being in SOTA really encouraged me to be more interested and engaged in the arts scene, whether as a viewer or participant. SOTA liaises with the major museums in Singapore and we often get free entries into special exhibitions, or exclusive invites to master classes and artist talks. Initially, I only went to showcases and performances just to make use of this special privilege, but over time I found that I genuinely wanted to visit them out of interest. Exposure really makes a difference, and the collaboration and involvement of organizations and individuals are needed to provide this exposure. Perhaps it is the same or similar in Chiang Mai, which has an ever growing young population. If this is so, then with more help from various museums, companies, organizations and the government, Chiang Mai will be better able to conserve its culture.