Ton Pho Si Maha Pho

The oldest Banyan tree (Ton Pho) is located on the premises of a temple named Wat Ton Pho Si Maha Pho. Approximately 2,000 years ago, the seedling stock of this tree was brought to the country from India’s religious Bodh Gaya site, where it flourished and grew. The tree now stands approximately 30 metres tall with a diameter of 25 metres. According to legend, the ruler of the ancient city of Mueang Mahosot sent his representatives to India’s Pataliputra. Pataliputra, adjacent to modern-day Patna, was a city in ancient India, originally built by Magadha ruler Udayin in 490 BCE as a small fort near the Ganges river. The representatives requested a branch of a very special Banyan tree – the same tree under which the Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment. The tree is a symbol of Prachin Buri Province. [Source: TAT]

Ayutthaya Historical Research