Wat Tahm Rai Saw

One of the funerary reliquaries surrounding the main chapel
One of the funerary reliquaries surrounding the main chapel

Wat Tahm Rai Saw, or the "White Elephant Pagoda", is a modern Buddhist temple near the provincial museum in Battambang. The temple was built in the mid-nineteenth century and renovated many times, but now the magnificent wain prayer hall is in a pretty bad state of repair and was closed when I visited in May of 2011.

The main eastern gate flanked by near-life sized sculptures of white elephants. One of them carries a young prince worshiped by several women, a scene from Buddha's early life before he became enlightened. Several other statues like this are along the eastern side of the chapel.

Along the north and south sides of the chapel are several funeral reliquaries and cenotaphs holding the ashes of [presumably] important people.

You can visit the temple during daylight hours. There is no admission fee.