Wat_Ku_Tao
Wat Ku Tao (Thai: วัดกู่เต้า; "Temple of the Gourd Pagoda") is a Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The temple was built in 1613 to enshrine the remains of Nawrahta Minsaw, the first Burmese ruler of Lan Na.[1] The temple is known for its distinctive chedi, which was built in the Yunnanese style, arranged in a series of five diminishing spheres that represent the five historical and future Buddhas.[1] The temple presently caters to Chiang Mai's Shan community.[2]
Formerly known as Wat Veru Vanaram, the temple features a striking pagoda resembling a stack of five watermelons, earning it the local moniker "Chedi Ku Tao" (meaning "watermelon pagoda" in Lanna dialect). Both its architecture, interior decor, and enshrined Buddha images showcase a strong influence of Burmese artistic traditions. History points to the importance of the temple as the home to the ashes of Nawrahta Minsaw, the first Burmese overlord of Chiang Mai.[3]