An epic on the walls of a Buddhist chapel
The cloister that encloses the main terrace of Wat Phra Kaew is lined with a long sequence of painted panels, running around the whole perimeter. They depict the Ramakien, the Thai telling of the Ramayana, an epic of Indian origin about Rama, his wife Sita, and the demon king Ravana who abducts her. Visitors who expect only scenes from the Buddha’s life are often surprised to find a battle epic, with monkey armies and chariots, in one of the most sacred Buddhist sites of Thailand.
The explanation lies in Thai history and culture. The Ramayana story travelled to Southeast Asia over many centuries, and different regions adapted it. The Thai version, the Ramakien, was compiled and expanded in the early Chakri period, with the first king of the dynasty traditionally credited with a major written version. The murals were first painted in the same early period, and have been restored and repainted several times since. As a result, what visitors see is the work of more than one era, and details of style and colour may reflect later restoration.
The story in brief
A short outline helps in following the panels, with the caution that tellings differ and the Thai version has its own episodes.
Rama is a prince, in the Thai telling an incarnation of the god Vishnu, who is exiled with his wife and brother. Ravana, called Thotsakan in Thai, a many-headed demon king, seizes Sita. Rama, with an army of monkeys led by the white monkey Hanuman, travels to Ravana’s island city, Lanka. After long battles, and with Hanuman’s cunning and loyalty prominent, Rama defeats Ravana and recovers his wife. The panels are arranged to be read in sequence around the gallery, and wall captions are provided in some places.
You do not need to know every episode. Look for Hanuman, for the elaborately dressed royal figures, and for Thotsakan with a crown of stacked faces.
How a Hindu-derived epic fits a Buddhist temple
Thai culture long absorbed Indian stories, and Thai kings have traditionally used the name Rama in their regnal titles. The Chakri dynasty’s kings are called Rama followed by a number, an association with the epic’s ideal ruler. In Southeast Asian courts, the Ramayana served as a model of righteous kingship: loyalty, duty, and the defeat of unjust power.
The temple itself is Buddhist, and the images of the Buddha at its heart are the focus of worship. The murals, then, are not a rival religion but a shared cultural inheritance, understood in Thailand as part of national and court tradition. Something similar happened in Cambodia, where an older Hindu temple became a Buddhist site, a change often described as Angkor Wat Hindu to Buddhist. In Thai practice, Hindu-derived figures such as Vishnu, Indra and Brahma are present in ceremonial life alongside Buddhism, and in Buddhist texts figures such as Indra appear as devotees of the Buddha. Scholars use terms like “syncretism” to describe this layered situation, but many Thais simply see it as how things have always been.
It is worth stating plainly that the Ramakien is not a Buddhist scripture. It does not teach Buddhist doctrine. Its presence in the temple reflects the role of the monarchy and the court arts, not a statement about Buddhist teaching. Narrative paintings of Buddhist stories, such as the Jataka tales, appear in many other Thai temples and have a different purpose.
The guardian giants
Around the terrace stand large statues of giants, called yakshas in English or yak in Thai, in vividly coloured armour and masks. They are drawn from the same epic, where giants belong to Ravana’s side. At the temple they act as guardians, standing watch over the sacred precinct. Each is traditionally identified by colour and features, and the pair most often pointed out are associated with named characters from the Ramakien.
The idea that fearsome beings can be turned into protectors is a familiar one in Buddhist cultures. Temple guardian figures at entrances are a broad pattern, and protector deities are a theme in several Buddhist traditions. At Wat Phra Kaew, the guardians are best understood as part of the royal temple’s protective apparatus. You will also notice mythical creatures such as half-bird, half-human kinnara figures, and other gilded figures around the buildings, which belong to Thai court iconography.
How to look at the murals
Allow time and move slowly.
- Walk the cloister clockwise, as is the usual practice at Thai temples, though the gallery is a corridor and the flow of the crowd may decide for you.
- Notice how scenes are arranged in layers, with buildings, landscapes and figures drawn in a flat, stylised manner that is typical of traditional Thai painting.
- Look for details of clothing and architecture, which record Thai court taste.
- Do not touch the walls. Oils from hands damage paintings, and signs may ask visitors to keep a distance.
Tolerate the crowds with patience. Many people pass through the gallery on their way to the main hall, and stopping suddenly can block those behind you. Step to the side to look.
Courtesy and practical notes
As the temple is part of the royal complex, dress rules are enforced: cover shoulders and knees, and wear clean, modest clothing. Remove shoes when entering the hall of the Emerald Buddha, keep your feet from pointing toward the images, and ask permission before photographing people. Photography inside the main hall is not normally allowed, and rules may differ from area to area; follow signs and staff.
Access, hours and fees change, and the grounds can close for ceremonies, so check current official information before you plan. The courtyards are bright and exposed to sun, so carry water, and take breaks in the shade. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
What the meeting of imagery tells us
For a thoughtful visitor, the gallery is a reminder that religious sites are rarely pure in the sense of containing only one source. The Buddhist heart of the temple, the royal tradition that built it, and the epic inherited from India all sit together. Understanding this does not diminish the temple’s devotion; it clarifies how Thai Buddhism has lived with and absorbed older stories while remaining centred on the Buddha, the teaching and the monastic community.