Wonder wall

The popular cartoon robot cat Doraemon recently made an unexpected appearance on a Buddhist mural that decorates the walls of an ancient Thai temple.

Read the story from the Bangkok Post to learn more about this unusual work of contemporary religious art.

Rakkiat Lertjitsakul, 34, tends to the finest details of his mural on the walls of the almost 700-year-old Wat Sampa Siw in Muang district, Suphan Buri. The painting has attracted crowds of amazed and bewildered visitors, surprised by the incongruous sight of Doraemon in scenes depicting Buddhist beliefs and moral lessons.

ENTERTAINING ART

Some believe that the paintings use hidden religious messages to successfully explore serious subjects, such as goodness prevailing over evil. The depiction of Doraemon in some of the murals provides an entertaining break from tradition, according to some temple visitors.

Others, however, like Suphan Buri resident Sarawut Pathumsut, do not find the mural amusing, since Doraemon is totally foreign to traditional Buddhist beliefs. Artist Rakkiat said that his real intention was simply to entertain.

"It expresses my sense of humour," Rakkiat said. "When I was in a fun mood, I painted Doraemon on the mural." He added that the Japanese cartoon character did not play a conspicuous part in the mural.

"Unless you look hard, you can barely see it," he said.

MORAL MURAL

In the mural, Doraemon pops up in scenes where he meets angels in heaven, swims in the ocean, hides behind a principal Buddha image in a chapel and struggles in a pan of boiling water in hell.

As a big fan of Doraemon since childhood, Rakkiat said the round physical shape of the character appeals to him. He said that the robotic cat's presence in the mural could represent the human spirit, greed, good or evil, depending on the viewer's imagination.

"The Doraemon images could attract children to the temple," Rakkiat said. "They might come to see the cartoon at first, but once they're here, they will be immersed in something virtuous."

EXCERISES

Match each of the following vocabulary words used in the article with the correction definition form the choices that follow.

1. Chapel.	a. bigger than the normal size; too big
2. Barely.	b. a strong desire for more wealth, possessions, power, etc. than a person needs
3. Oversized.	c. a small building or room used for worship in a church, school, prison, etc.
4. Greed.	d. in a way that almost does not happen or exist