Other than the disproportionate number of fortune tellers lining the lane, there does not seem to be anything extraordinary about Wat Mahabut in central Bangkok.  Like other temples, locals stroll through the peaceful grounds, carrying offerings or feeding strays.

Yet in a shady enclave at the far-end of the complex, a rustic calm descends, reminiscent of the days when the area was filled with verdant rice paddies and criss-crossing canals.

Flanked by trees swathed with filmy fabrics, a gold-encrusted statue of a mother holding a baby sits atop an altar.  Surrounded by lacy Thai costumes and portraits of a grim, long-haired woman, her beady eyes fix upon those prostrating on the floor.

The heady scent of incense swirls lazily about as devotees light candles, place garlands, and offer artifacts of daily life, including toys, diapers, lipstick, and cash.  A television flickers, presumably playing her favorite program.

The scene is kitschy with a macabre air, which is fitting as this is the supposed resting place of Mae Nak (“Mother Nak”) Prakanong, a ghost from a centuries-old tale.

The story is that Nak was so devoted to her husband Mak, her spirit remains after she dies in childbirth.  Unaware of Nak's state, Mak returns from the war to a seemingly loving wife.  He doesn't know that she orchestrates the violent demise of those who try to warn Mak, thereby threatening to disrupt her marital bliss.

Mak eventually realizes his wife’s true form and flees to Wat Mahabut. There, a highly respected monk, Somdej To in some accounts, performs an exorcism, containing Nak’s tormented soul in a piece of her forehead bone.

The community gradually embraced Mae Nak as its benefactor, softening her fierce reputation.  While couples affected by conscription traditionally request her protection, Mae Nak has become known for revealing winning lottery numbers in the tree under which she is buried.

These days, the tree is so worn by people seeking numbers in the swirly patterns of the trunk, a garland vendor held up two fingers to show how much of the bark has been rubbed away.  Appropriately, lottery sellers hover nearby.

Locals visit the shrine throughout the day, and visitor numbers surge before lottery day (or during an economic crisis).  Revered or feared, the emotions associated with Nak's story must touch a nerve, fostering mystical qualities of the woman and ensuring longevity of her legend.

How to get there:

Take the BTS train to On Nut station and catch a cab or a motorcycle taxi (identifiable by drivers in orange vests) to On Nut Soi 7. The temple is at the end of the lane.  Or take a canal boat from Prakanong Bridge to the Wat Mahabut pier.