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| Reclining Buddha |
Penang is undoubtedly famous for its beautiful temples. If you walk around the streets of Penang you will immediately notice many temples with magnificent design and unique architecture. One of these many beautiful Penang temples is the famous Wat Chayamangkalaram, better known as the Penang Thai Temple, which is the only Thai temple in the whole of Penang. This Penang temple is famous for its gigantic reclining Buddha statue residing within the temple hall.
This Penang temple was built in 1845 to cater for the spiritual needs of the Penang Thai community. Queen Victoria herself donated the five acre land to a group of Thai monks to build this magnificent Penang temple as a gesture of good will towards Thailand and the Thai community in Penang. You can find this largest Buddhist temple in Penang at Burma Lane, Pulau Tikus right in the heart of Georgetown.
If you want to fully experience the liveliness of this Penang temple, you should come during the main Buddhist festival of Loy Krathong and Songkran where you can see hundreds of worshippers flock the temple to pray and give offerings. During Songkran, the water festival, do expect to be drenched wet with water as devotees splashes water all around as an act to wish good fortunes on everyone!
As you enter this Penang temple courtyard toward the main entrance, you will notice two statutes of the temple guardian with carvings of two dragon-headed serpents curled in front of them. These colourful green-faced guardians are indeed a majestic sight for you to behold. This Penang temple Thai Buddhist architectural design will definitely captivate your attention with its beauty and skilful craftsmanship.
When you enter the temple hall, the Hall of the Thousand Buddhas, that houses the reclining Buddha statue you can see hundreds of fascinating golden sculptures littered on the wall. The main attraction of this Penang temple hall is of course the reclining Buddha itself. This gigantic 33-metre reclining Buddha statue is made up of gold leaf. Its eyes and toenails are carefully sculpted with pearls. This reclining Buddha statue is the 14th largest statue of its kind in the world. This majestic reclining Buddha statue depicts the historical Buddha during the hour of his death. The serene face of this reclining Buddha symbolises the moment of final enlightenment.
You can also find numerous urns containing the ashes of previous devotees behind this reclining Buddha statue. As you look around the temple hall you can also see the gold covered images of Buddha painted on the walls which adds to the beauty of this Penang temple. These beautiful images testify to the artistic skills of the Thai painters commissioned to do these works of art. You should not also miss looking at the colourful wall murals which is also located behind the reclining Buddha. These murals depict the legendary scenes during the Buddha's lifetime. If you gaze down at the temple floor you will notice that the tiles are shaped with a lotus pattern which is a distinguishing symbol of the Buddhist religion.
The Reclining Buddha Statue in Penang Thai Temple