Wrapped up Buddha

[Betti]

a friend took this photo at Wat Suthat in Bangkok and is asking me about the meaning or purpose of the wrapped up Buddha image. any ideas kindly appreciated.

[Richard Barrow]

The only thing I can say is that it is possible it has just been moved or it will be moved. They wrap it like that when it is on the back of pick-up trucks. I have often seen them like this on the road but never like this in a temple.

[Betti]

thank you Richard.

are images usually wrapped up for transportation? are there any rituals or rules to be observed when moving Buddha statues for repair or other practical reason (not for religious purposes such as a procession)?

[Richard Barrow]

I have never observed it in these situations, though obviously the greatest amount of respect should be shown to the Buddha image at all stages of being moved. I know that whenever my maid moved my Buddha image to dust behind she would "wai" first. A kind of apology for disturbing the enlightened one. You would imagine it would be so for moving the image too on the back of a pick up. This is something I would like to know more about. Let's hope someone else knows.

[rahu_om_chan]

As far as i know, usually when we need to transport the statue, we will wrap it up. Maybe they will unwrap it after some ritual.