Spirit House

There is a spirit house almost at every building or house in Thailand. Some are interesting,some traditional, some modern. Since I'd been taking photos, I'd been taking lots of pictures of spirit houses. This particular one is the one outside the office building.

From the sides, the spirit house is like a miniature of a traditional Thai house with small idols surround it. Well, it does depend on how active the spirit house has people who make merit to it. People put garlands of flowers or ceramic dolls for personal reasons. More of these offerings reflect the amount of people make offerings to the spirit house.

My last aunt had friend all over the world who came to visit her once in a
while. One of friends, I don't know who, came and became enamored with the spirit houses. She thought that they made good birdbath in her backyard. Well, without all the decorations, I could see how birds could be attracted to it. However, my late warned her friend that she should get a spirit house, ship it half around the world to use it as a birdbath because the Thai revered the spirit houses are sacred. Something that should not be made light of, like a birdbath.

Buyer be warned, the unknown friend went behind her back and bought a spirit house, shipped it half way around the world and to place it in her back yard. As the story goes, one morning while having coffee on, the unknown lady had a heart attack and sadly died. She died on the same
day the spirit house was delivered to her house.

I don't really know if the story is true or just made up to scare children. At any rate, as you can see from this photo, offerings abound. The offering table is filled with red soda pop because there is a belief that spirits red soda pops. Someday, you can see boiled chicken and other sweets offered to the spirits.

The next photo is a picture of the back of the spirit house. Make
photos spirit house from the front, with all the offerings, flowers, etc. But not many photos are take from behind. Some how I find it very interesting to see the spirit house from behind with all the dancing dolls .

I have many more pictures of spirit house and shrines to share. So until next time, enjoy the spirit houses.