Thelife- A 4 foot-tall golden vagina is being worshipped at a Buddhist shrine in Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima province.
- The sculpture is erected by Buddhist nun Naowaratkotchaporn Simethawong, or Mother Brahmin.
An anatomically accurate, 4 foot-tall golden vagina stands at the center of worship at a Buddhist shrine in Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 180 miles north of Bangkok.
Engraved with prayers, the colossal genitalia is surrounded by eight smaller vaginas, and was built by a Buddhist nun, Naowaratkotchaporn Simethawong, who is also known as '"Mother Brahmin," per Newsflare.
Female genitalia has been venerated for ages around the world. Sheela Na Gigs, figurative carvings of naked women, can be found in medieval churches and castles around Europe.
The vulva model in Thailand is reasonably realistic.
The sacred statue has become popular among locals, who regularly flock to the sculpture to pray for luck, fertility, beauty, and romance, per Newsflare.
Devotees also erected a matching golden phallic statue to complement the golden vagina sculpture, and they became such a sensation that they drew the attention of local officials, per Newsflare.
On Monday, the local council chief Kanatchon Sijaroen, along with his staff members and a few policemen visited the shrine to inspect the golden genitalia, per Newsflare.
After ensuring that the shrine complied with moral standards, the local officials gave the green light, though they did give an order for the statues to be moved away from a large Buddhist statue to avoid "being disrespectful," per Newsflare.
A visit to the golden vagina to pray and hold a special ceremony would set you back 500 baht, or about $14, per Newsflare.
The ceremonies are held to "provide remedies for misfortunes, particularly women who aborted a child," said Mother Brahmin, per Newsflare.
"I believe that we should pay respect to the genitals because they represent the origin of life and abundance in the world. It is not strange or unusual," she added, per Newsflare.