Wat Buppharam, Penang
| Wat Buppharam วัดบุปผาราม | |
|---|---|
 Front view of the temple | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| District | Northeast Penang Island District |
| Location | |
| Location | Pulau Tikus |
| State | Penang |
| Country | Malaysia |
  Shown within George Town | |
| Geographic coordinates | 5°25′32.562″N 100°18′58.376″E / 5.42571167°N 100.31621556°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Thai temple |
| Founder | Phra Phothan Srikheaw[1] |
| Date established | 1942[1] |
Wat Buppharam (Template:Lang-th; RTGS: Wat Buppharam) (also called as the Buppharam Buddhist Temple) is a Thai temple in Pulau Tikus suburb of George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Situated at Jalan Perak, the temple is the home to a renowned statue of Buddha, the "Lifting Buddha".[2] The temple became a focal point for the annual Siamese Songkran and Loi Krathong festivals within the city suburb and for the city yearly Buddha Day procession as well the Jathukarm-Ramathep-Ganesha blessing ceremonies.[3][4][5][6]
History
The temple was built during the Japanese occupation of British Malaya in 1942 by Phra Phothan Srikheaw, a Thai monk who became the temple's first abbot.[1][7]
Features
The temple is renowned for a century-old Buddha statue nicknamed the "Lifting Buddha".[2] Urban legend has it that the statue contains the ability to predict whether a devotee's wishes can be fulfilled. If the statue can be lifted the first time the devotee concentrates on his or her wishes, and subsequently becomes too heavy to lift the second time, then the devotee's wish is indeed attainable.[2] Although founded as a Theravāda Buddhist temple with the layout of Thai tradition, the temple are decorated with various mythical religious creatures of Nāgas with the mixture of Hindu and Taoist deities such as the statue of Ganesha which is placed at the main entrance while in the left located a shrine specifically for Guan Yin.[1] On the far side leading to the burial grounds, there is a small shrine to Tudigong (Goddess of Land). In spite of the temple complex modest size, it has arguably one of the largest arches in the state.[1]
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The temple as seen from its second entrance at Jalan Perak.
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References
- ^ a b c d e "Wat Buppharam Thai (Siamese) Buddhist Temple". Malaysian Internet Resources. 2006. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ^ a b c Lonely Planet; Isabel Albiston; Brett Atkinson; Greg Benchwick; Cristian Bonetto; Austin Bush; Robert Kelly; Simon Richmond; Richard Waters; Anita Isalska (1 August 2016). Lonely Planet Malaysia Singapore & Brunei. Lonely Planet. pp. 401–. ISBN 978-1-76034-162-6.
- ^ "Temple ceremony". The Star. 21 September 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ^ Carolyn Ooi (24 November 2007). "Triple blessings for devotees". The Star. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ^ Cavina Lim (5 May 2015). "Wesak fanfare and fervour". The Star. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- ^ "Devotees gather for double celebration". Bernama. The Borneo Post. 6 May 2012. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ^ Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. The Branch. 1988. p. 64.
- Religious buildings and structures completed in 1942
- Chinese-Malaysian culture
- Indian-Malaysian culture
- Buddhist temples in Malaysia
- Buildings and structures in Penang
- Religious buildings and structures in Penang
- Tourist attractions in George Town
- Ganesha temples
- Guanyin temples
- Overseas Thai Buddhist temples
- Thai Theravada Buddhist temples and monasteries
- 20th-century Buddhist temples
- 1942 establishments in the Japanese colonial empire