King Rama I wished his new city to be as pure as the city of the great Hindu god Brahma. So after consulting with a Brahmin priest, he built the Bot Phram, or Brahmin Chapels. These three holy halls were completed in 1784 making them the oldest buildings in the center of the old city. Each hall is dedicated to a specific Hindu deity including Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh and Brahma.
The chapels are well maintained by Brahmin priests who migrated to Siam from South India. Although they are not Buddhist, the Brahmin priests of Bot Phram are responsible for all religious ceremonies within the King’s court. The priests still provide services as astrologers, and they can be seen here dressed all in white giving consultations under the trees on the south end of the grounds.





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