Prasat Ban Bu ปราสาทบ้านบุ - House of Fire (Dharmasala) - Buriram Thailand 2024

Prasat Ban Bu ปราสาทบ้านบุ

Laterite dharmasala or fire temple situated east of Ban Bu Village, some 4kms due north of Prasat Muang Tam and a similar distance east of Prasat Phanom Rung.

House of Fire, or Dharmasala, is the name given to a type of building found only in temples constructed during the reign of late 12th century monarch Jayavarman VII: Preah Khan, Ta Prohm and Banteay Chhmar. A House of Fire has thick walls, a tower at the west end and south-facing windows.

Scholars theorize that the House of Fire functioned as a "rest house with fire" for travellers. An inscription at Preah Khan tells of 121 such rest houses lining the highways into Angkor.

The Chinese traveller Zhou Daguan expressed his admiration for these rest houses when he visited Angkor in 1296.

Another theory is that the House of Fire had a religious function as the repository the sacred flame used in sacred ceremonies.

The extensively restored sanctuary presents a classic dharmasala plan of a laterite hall measuring 8m x 17m with a tower at its western end, windows in the south wall and west and east doorways.

Few original sandstone elements remain in situ and indeed it's been pointed out that these appear to be recycled from another sanctuary site. (The same phenomenon is seen at nearby Kuti Ruesi Ban Khok Muang and with a similar construction date, the recycled pieces may be feom the same site.) 2 sandstone pedestals remain in situ along with several unfinished pediment reliefs.

Prior to restoration little of the structure was standing to the point where it's better described as a reconstruction rather than a restoration. The restoration work can be classified as shoddy.

Ban Bu is the third dharmasala along the Phimai-Angkor route in what is today Thailand with 6 more confirmed sites between there and Phimai.

The temple is on the grounds of a school so it’s not always accessible. If the gate is open you can visit it free of charge. It’s near the other sites of Phanom Rung UNESCO World Heritage Site so you can combine it with a visit there if you have time.

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