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The Star
12-05-2025
- General
- 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.
New Straits Times
12-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Diverse crowd at Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in PJ
PETALING JAYA: A diverse crowd of devotees and visitors flocked to the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple here today to observe Wesak Day. Visitors and devotees arrived at the temple grounds as early as 6 am. Devotees performed various rituals and prayers, such as lighting oil lamps, offering joss sticks and bathing Buddha statues to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. Special needs teacher Ratha Nadaraj said she had been observing Wesak Day at the temple for over 12 years. "As a Hindu, I can relate to Buddha's teachings, which is why I chose to come to the temple today," she said. She added that participating in the day's rituals enriched her understanding of Malaysia's religious diversity. Secretary Susan Thomas, who visited the temple for the first time today, was amazed by the various rituals being performed. "Usually, we only see the ceremonies from outside the temples. But today, we got to experience it firsthand — and it's very beautiful. "Every religion is beautiful, and I wanted my son and me to experience and celebrate the different traditions each religion offers," she said. Suriya Sun Nguan, a committee member of the Thai language school, was managing a food stall to help raise funds for the temple today. "Wesak Day means a lot to me as I am a Buddhist. My favourite part of the celebration is lighting oil lamps, which symbolises hope and a brighter future," she said. As the day progressed, more visitors arrived at the temple, eager to take part in the rituals and pray for peace and prosperity. Head monk and temple manager Phrakru Siribhodhivides estimated that more 10,000 people had visited the temple during the first two days of the festival, with more expected to attend the evening's float procession. "Today marks an important occasion for all Buddhists in remembrance of Lord Buddha. "As one of the largest Thai Buddhist temples in Selangor, we take pride in our unique Thai cultural decorations, which sets us apart from other Buddhist temples," he said. He expressed hope that future Wesak Day processions would become even more grand and meaningful. Temple secretary and committee member Dato Sa Wai @ Boon Chock said there growing interest in the temple's traditions from people of all backgrounds. "More devotees from different religions and racial backgrounds are coming to the temple and joining the celebrations. "This indirectly promotes intercultural communication," he said. He also noted a rise in participation among younger devotees. "Besides the older generation, more and more young people are coming to pay their respects and take part in the rituals. "Engaging the younger generation in these traditions helps them become more conscious of their faith and benefit from its positive values in their daily lives," he said. Built in 1957, prior to 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. A focal point of the temple's celebrations will be a grand chariot that will circle the temple three times.
New Straits Times
09-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Thousands expected to attend Wesak Day celebration at Thai Buddhist Chetawan temple
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.
