Wat
Wat Dhammagosnaram
Wat Dhammagosnaram (វត្តធម្មឃោសនារាម, Wat Dhammagosnaram) is a Cambodian Buddhist temple on Plainfield Pike in Cranston, Rhode Island.[1][2] Its front yard holds a miniature Angkor Wat carved in Cambodia and unveiled in 2005.[2]
History
The temple's name is spelled both Dhammagosnaram and Dhamagosnaram.[2] A 2009 national list of Khmer Buddhist temples placed it at 2870 Plainfield Pike, with the telephone number 401.942.2084 and the website www.dhamagosnaramofri.org.[3] It is entry 13 among the Rhode Island listings of a directory of Khmer Buddhist temples updated on April 2, 2014.[4] The 2026 directory of Cambodian Buddhist temples in the United States lists it as Wat Dhammagosnaram Buddhist Temple of RI, with four monks.[5]
Angkor Wat replica
In 2004 the congregation commissioned craftsmen in Cambodia to carve a miniature Angkor Wat by hand in marble and jade. The pieces were shipped to Cranston, and a Cambodian tradesman came to build the foundation. The replica stands about 1 meter (3.5 feet) tall and covers about 24 square meters (260 square feet). Its five central towers are set in the same pattern as those of the original temple, representing the five peaks of Mount Meru, and a working moat stocked with goldfish surrounds it.[2]
The replica was unveiled on July 30, 2005. It was called the first Angkor Wat replica at a Buddhist temple in the United States. Temple president Sarin Rath said at the time, "Rhode Island has become the second home for Angkor Wat."[2]
Community
Rhode Island's Cambodian American community grew largely from refugees who arrived after the Khmer Rouge fell in 1979, and Wat Dhammagosnaram is their temple.[2] Roger Williams University lists it, as Dhamagosgosnaram Buddhist Temple, among Buddhist places of worship.[6]
Visiting
The temple is an active place of worship. The replica sits in the front yard and can be seen from outside during daylight hours, free of charge, with no ticket, tour or reservation.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ Wat Khemara Ratanaram, Khmer pagodas in Rhode Island
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 somethingweird.today, Angkor Wat Replica at Wat Dhamagosnaram
- ↑ Cambodian National Directory (2009)
- ↑ Temple News, 2558 Khmer Buddhist Temples Directory (2014)
- ↑ Wat Ratanarangsey blog, 2026 Directory of Wat Khmer or Cambodian Buddhist Temples in the USA (September 18, 2026)
- ↑ Roger Williams University, Spiritual life