Many of you know I have a mild obsession with religion.  So both Janine and I knew that Thailand is mostly Buddhist before we arrived here. And we were not surprised when we were told that the most important thing to see in Chiang Mai was a temple.

But I was very surprised at what I saw there.  We were walking along, and instead of just Buddha, there was Ganesh.  What the heck was a Hindu diety doing smack dab in the middle of a Buddhist temple?

As we all know religion is one of a small number of things that has an influence on pretty much all others — like politics, relationships, etc.  And I guess it works the other way as well.   Politics — in the form of influence from Burma — injected some Hindu influence into their flavor of Buddhism.  As a result, they do not follow the Dalai Lama, but rather a group of high level monks from Thailand.

This Hindu influence makes for some pretty dramatic departures.  For example, in addition to meditating, they also wish (pray) for things, and leave small “sacrifices” for the gods.  And it is steeped in local tradition.

Ringing in wishes

So while they are still “aiming for nirvana”, as Buddhists are apt to do, they ring bells, use holy water, and all sorts of other not very Buddhist things along the way.  Whatever it is, it must be working.  People in Thailand all seem pretty durned happy.

And religion is clearly a part of their happiness.  90+% of males in Chiang Mai become monks (although most “wash out” after some time).  And there are well over 1000 temples in the city with each person fiercely loyal to their local one (hrm.. seems familiar).  And households and businesses have little mini shrines as well.  In fact, every hotel we have seen has a small strategically located shrine for offerings.

After seeing how happy the people were, Janine and I decided we were taking no chances, and partook in a local tradition.  We purchased a tiny bell, and wrote “baby Dillman” on the ringer, and then hung it up above the Tuesday shrine (yep, one for each day of the week, except Wednesday.. which has two?!?) since that was the day of our visit.  In a few weeks our beel will be melted down along with a few thousand others, and made into a larger bell.  And then in a few months, that bell will be made into a huge bell, and that bell will in turn be hung up for other to ring when they have a wish.

Dillman Family/Dillman Baby bell

It is kind of nice to leave a tiny part of the happiness we have gotten from out visit there in Chiang Mai.  And especially nice to think that countless others will be wishing with the bell in the future.  Maybe the happy Thai people are on to something.