KUPRAPACHAI: A CULTURAL HERITAGE REFLECTING ANCIENT CIVILIZATION

Abstract

         This academic article aims to study the cultural heritage that reflects the ancient civilization of Ku Praphachai. The objectives are to examine and analyze the historical, architectural, and artistic values, as well as the cultural connections between Ku Praphachai and the ancient Khmer civilization. Ku Praphachai is located within Wat Ban Na Kham Noi, Khon Kaen Province, and was constructed during the reign of King Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire in the 18th Buddhist century, using laterite and sandstone as the primary materials. The components of the temple include the central prang, lintels with Khmer patterns, and a Shiva lingam platform that reflect the devaraja (divine kingship) concept and the cosmology of Hinduism. Later, the religious belief transitioned from Hinduism to Mahayana Buddhism, evidenced by the presence of the Bodhisattva Bhaisajyaguru and inscriptions within the prang of Ku Praphachai. The site plays a significant role in the lives of the local community of Ban Na Kham Noi and its surroundings, particularly in the annual Song Ku tradition. Local people participate in religious and cultural rituals, such as paying homage to guardian spirits, offering ritual trays, and performing rocket-launching divination ceremonies, to seek blessings for prosperity and peace for the village.  Furthermore, Ku Praphachai serves as a cultural public space symbolically linking the sacred with the everyday lives of the community. This demonstrates that Ku Praphachai is not merely an ancient site of architectural and artistic value but also a spiritual and communal center that embodies shared beliefs and collective memory. Its significance contributes to the preservation and transmission of knowledge to younger generations, exemplifying the sustainable conservation of cultural heritage in a contemporary context.