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The Star

Final touches before Wesak Day

Devotees at a prayer session led by monks at the Malaysian Buddhist Association in Burma Road, Penang before the Buddha statue was moved from the hall to the float to be decorated with flowers for the Wesak Day procession. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI and ART CHEN/The Star BUDDHISTS in Malaysia observe Wesak Day today, honouring the birth, enlightenment and passing into Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha. At temples nationwide, staff and volunteers have been busy preparing for the celebra­tion. Temples have been adorned with lights, floral decorations and devotional offerings, as devotees and volunteers come together in a shared spirit of faith and com­munity. During Wesak, devotees make offerings such as flowers, joss sticks, incense and lotus-shaped candles. In Petaling Jaya, Selangor, the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple, which blends Thai and Malaysian practices, will welcome devotees for a series of rituals including prayer sessions, almsgiving and other activities to mark the occasion. They have been decorating vibrant floats, setting up cere­monial areas and organising religious events in the lead-up to the festival. At the Malaysian Buddhist Association in Burma Road, Penang, preparations have been made for the annual Wesak float procession starting at 6pm today. Workers busy sprucing up the temple facade, cleaning up ceremonial areas and setting up tents in preparation for Wesak Day at the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The celebrations began earlier last week with a lotus-themed exhibition featuring Buddhist calligraphy, paintings and cultural displays. Wesak Day is commemorated by lighting joss sticks, incense and lotus-shaped candles, offer­ing flowers and ceremo­nially bathing the Buddha statue.