Thousands expected to attend Wesak Day celebration at Thai Buddhist Chetawan temple

New Straits Times

09-05-2025

PETALING JAYA: The Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple is preparing for a grand three-day Wesak Day celebration from May 10 to 12, set to welcome up to 10,000 devotees from across the country.
The head manager, who is also the temple's monk, Phrakru Siribhodhivides, 39, said preparations have been intensified to accommodate the large crowd expected for the annual religious observance.
"Regular and Thai temples aren't much different, but since this is a large temple, we prepare more," he said.
The highlights of the celebration include early morning chanting from 6.30am, alms giving, oil lamp lighting, and a grand night procession on May 12, during which devotees will walk around the temple three times.
In preparation, the temple is welcoming support from volunteers, students from Thai schools, and even monks flown in from Thailand and other states, including Kedah.
"Previously, we only used the main hall, but now, with up to 10,000 people, we will extend the celebration to the temple grounds and even out onto the main road," he said.
Phrakru, who is originally from Sungai Petani, Kedah, became a monk at the age of 13 and was later granted the name "Phrakru Siribhodhivides" by the current King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn.
He said Wesak Day commemorates three key events in the life of Gautama Buddha - his birth, enlightenment, and passing into nirvana - all of which are believed to have occurred on the same day in different years.
"We will walk around the temple three times to honour the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha," he said.
Phrakru added that this symbolic procession, known as pradaksina, is a significant part of the celebration.
"All conditioned things undergo change. Decay is a normal process. All of you must not be reckless. You must hurry to find your refuge," he said, quoting the Buddha's final teaching as a reminder of Wesak Day's deeper spiritual meaning.
The temple's celebrations are open to all, including non-Buddhists and members of the wider community.
Previously, a major Wesak Day float procession in Kuala Lumpur saw over 25,000 devotees participating in a four-hour event that wound through the heart of the city.
Themed "Foster True Compassion and Wisdom, Forge True Peace and Harmony", the celebration aimed to deepen public awareness of Buddhist values amid growing spiritual apathy.
Chief high priest Datuk K. Sri Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thera also reminded the public of the importance of spiritual discipline in modern times, urging parents to instil Buddhist teachings in the younger generation.
Built in 1957, before Malaysia's independence, the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple was established on land donated by the Malayan government and later officiated by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
The Malaysian government also contributed RM100,000 towards its construction, making the temple a longstanding symbol of Thai-Malaysian religious ties.