UBON RATCHATHANI, Thailand – A rare ancient bas-relief of Narayana reclining on the ocean has drawn attention in Ubon Ratchathani, where the carving appears only once a year as water levels recede. The site is located on the natural riverbed of the Lam Dom Yai stream, within an area shared by Yod Dom Wildlife Sanctuary and Phu Chong–Na Yoi National Park.
Discovered by local villagers in 1978, the carving depicts Narayana resting on the serpent Ananta Naga, with Lakshmi at his feet. A line extending from the deity’s navel symbolizes the emergence of Brahma, though part of the figure remains unfinished. The work is estimated to date to the 10th–11th century and describes early religious art associated with communities in the region.
The site is believed to have been used for ceremonial purposes, with flowing water regarded as sacred and linked to fertility and abundance for downstream communities. The carving remains submerged during the rainy season and becomes visible only in the dry months, usually between March and April, when visitors and devotees travel to the area for annual rituals.
The site is overseen by the Fine Arts Office Region 9 in coordination with conservation authorities. Access requires a 14-kilometer trek through forest terrain. The location gained wider recognition following a visit by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 1991, when she traveled on foot to view the carving. (NNT)
