Chofa
Chofa (Thai: ช่อฟ้า; lit. sky tassel) is a Thai architectural decorative ornament that adorns the top at the end of Wat and palaces roof in most of the continental Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. It resembles a tall thin bird and looks hornlike. The chofa is generally believed to represent the mythical creature Garuda, half bird and half man, who is the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Components
- Horn
- Tip
- Breast
Types
- Garuda tip
- Fish tip
- Elephant head
- Bird head
- Others
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Chofa of Ubosot, Wat Phra Kaeo, Bangkok (Garuda tip Chofa)
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Chofa of Viharn, Wat Ched Yot, Chiang Mai (Elephant head Chofa)
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Chofa of Ubosot, Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai (Lanna art Chofa)
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Chofa of Viharn Luang, Wat Suthat, Bangkok (Fish tip Chofa)
References
- Karl Döhring, Buddhist Temples of Thailand: An Architectonic Introduction, White Lotus Press, 2000. ISBN 974-7534-40-1