Wat Ban Dap

Wat Ban Dap is a classic Buddhist monastery situated on the right bank of the Lopburi River in the Kong Thanu Sub-district of Mueang Lopburi District in Lop Buri Province. “Ban Dab” means “Village of the sword”. The village received its name from the epic Siamese poem "Khun Chang Khun Phaen". It was in this settlement that Khun Phaen disembarked and hid his sword, "Skystorm", in a hollow under a large banyan tree and prayed to the guardian deities to look after the blade.

They forked at Bang Phutsa and passed in front of Lopburi. Beyond that city in the early evening, they saw a settlement with lush trees. As it was almost night, the warders halted the boat there. Khun Phaen picked up Skystorm and disembarked. Walking up through the thick bushes, he saw a hollow under a big banyan tree. He placed the sword inside, and chanted an athap concealing formula. He prostrated, and prayed to the guardian deities to look after the sword. ‘When I return, let me make no mistake. In future if a village is established here, let it be called Sword of Drawn Bow [King Thanu]because Skystorm is hidden here.’ He went back aboard and they continued the journey, waking as they neared Ayutthaya. [Khun Chang Khun Phaen: 21 Khun Phaen gives himself up] / Where Khun Phaen buried his sword in chapter 21.

Ayutthaya Historical Research