Showing posts with label [Penang Island] Wat Chaiyamangalaram. Show all posts
Showing posts with label [Penang Island] Wat Chaiyamangalaram. Show all posts
WAT CHAIYAMANGALARAM - The Largest Thai Buddhist Temple in Penang (Part 3)
27 November 2008
0
comments
Article Preview
WAT CHAIYAMANGALARAM - The Largest Thai Buddhist Temple in Penang (Part 2)
25 November 2008
2
comments
Article Preview
Title: Siamese WarriorLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 11.02am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100 A warrior armed with a weapon to 'protect' the temple.
Title: The GuardianLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 11.02am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A fierce looking guardian with artistic carving and vibrant colours. The temple is visible at the back of the statue.
Title: Reaching for HeavenLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.39am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A towering figure on the compound of the temple.
Title: BlissLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.36am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A large-sized statue overlooking the temple. A harmonious blend between the God idol and the sky.
Title: Bling, blingLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.45am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/6.3, ISO Equiv.: 100
A statue embedded with pieces of gold mirrors. These mirrors create a shining gold reflection from afar.
Title: Flower MotifsLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.31am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A statue with multiple flower motif.
Title: Reclining BuddhaLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 11.01am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.6, ISO Equiv.: 200
This statue was only built in 1958, in conjunction with the 2500th anniversary of the birth of Buddha, at a cost of RM100,000.
When I walked into the inner temple, I can see lots of God statues - over 30 large-sized porcelain idols. There is a donation box beneath every single idols. The management practised an open door policy - visitors are most welcome to visit the temple without being pressured or asked to donate to the temple. Any donation will be a voluntarily gesture. Some devotees were seen kneeling on a piece of red thin cushion (facing the idol) and pray for their loved ones.
At the back of the reclining Buddha, I can see thousands of urns placed in individual rectangle slots. Every single urns in the temple have a unique shape and design. Visitors can read more about the person that were once alive - every urn display a small-sized picture and also some reference to the dead person. It was an interesting sight to see rows, rows and rows of urns stacked on the wall.
Overall, I truly enjoyed my trip to Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple at Burmah Street in Penang, Malaysia. The Buddhist temple is the best by far...even better than those in Kuala Lumpur. The place is properly maintain with monks and devotees working hand in hand to keep the place clean and presentable to visitors. I can see lots of effort undertaken to make this temple an attractive place to visitors. CCTVs are positioned at strategic location of the temple for security purpose.
WAT CHAIYAMANGALARAM - The Largest Thai Buddhist Temple in Penang (Part 1)
24 November 2008
4
comments
Article Preview
Title: 'The Golden Girl'Location: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.43am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/10.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A statue with pieces of gold papers. I am not really sure why devotees pasted golden papers on God idols.
Title: Look at my faceLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.44am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
The God idol seems to be quite happy with the golden attention SHE is getting from visitors.
Title: I am fullLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple , Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.27am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/10.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A Buddha statue holding HIS tummy.
Title: Buddha's praying beadsLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.28am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/11, ISO Equiv.: 100
A close-up shot of Buddha's praying beads. I love the multi hue of gold colour in this picture.
Title: Peace
Location: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.37am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
Title: Pray
Location: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.38am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0 ISO Equiv.: 100
Title: PeaceLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.37am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
An idol hands clasp together in a praying pose. The temple is visible in the background.
Title: PrayLocation: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.38am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/9.0 ISO Equiv.: 100
A praying goddess
Title: Temple Guardian
Location: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.31am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/7.1, ISO Equiv.: 100
I am so excited with my first visit to Penang Island, Malaysia. Penangites love to ask about my nationality. Typical questions - Where are you from?, Are you from Japan? You must be a Korean? Most of them were taken aback when I told them I am a Malaysian.
Title: Temple Guardian Location: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.31am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/7.1, ISO Equiv.: 100
A close-up shot with a twisted angle. This picture gave an impression the idol is guarding the temple.
Title: Temple Guardian
Location: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.30am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
Location: Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Date: 22 November 2008, 10.30am
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A guardian meditating on the temple's ground.
I am so excited with my first visit to Penang Island, Malaysia. Penangites love to ask about my nationality. Typical questions - Where are you from?, Are you from Japan? You must be a Korean? Most of them were taken aback when I told them I am a Malaysian.
I boarded a train (Langkawi Express, economy class, RM17 ticket) to Butterworth, Penang that last for 9 hours long. A cheap ride to Penang...but again I made a BIG MISTAKE by taking a night train. The train journey was one hell of an experience. Sitting for 9 hours long can be a tormenting experience to your buttocks! I can't even catch a short nap due to continuous streams of noises circulating all over the economy coach. I don't mind sounds created from the trains vibrating engine. The worst noise polluters were young teenage riders from small towns that board the train in the wee hours. These chaps were a bunch of hooligans with no sense of respect to other passengers. They were joking, talking out aloud and trying so hard to get people's attention on their insensible actions. I just wanna stand up and shout "You bunch of fuckers! Shut the hell up! Can't you see people are trying to sleep? - FUCKERS!"
The train finally arrived at Butterworth station by 6.20 am. I proceed to the jetty to buy a one way ticket worth RM1. I simply enjoyed the jetty ride to Georgetown, Penang. The ferry is a huge vehicle with lots of comfortable seats for passengers and also lower compartment to carry motor vehicles. It was a breezy day. The morning view of Penang's sea through the ferry was simply breathtaking. The 20 minutes ++ ferry ride was too short for me. I was talking to an elderly Indian Penangite to learn more about Penang. He told me "The food and drinks in Penang is absolutely and always cheaper than those available in Kuala Lumpur. Well, let see...
On Day 1 of my journey, I visited numerous temples and kongsi in Penang. Wat Chaiyamangalaram is the first temple I visited. To be honest, I am an atheist or to be precise a pure humanist. I can only believe science is the ultimate answer. It will always supersede religion. Spending a good two hours in the Penang largest Thai Temple, I noticed Penangites Chinese are a bunch of people that really believe in the existence of GOD. Wherever I go in Penang Island, I can see people praying and they are dead serious in their routines.
This Chaiya temple really amazes me. The God idols in the exterior of the temples are decorated with shiny and blink blink ornaments - a vibrant display colours and artistic design. The carvings and motifs are work of artisan that put enormous effort to create real-like God statues. It was a damn hot day. I am still having a 70% sunburn all over my body. But as usual, I love the presence of bright and sunny sky - it enable me to capture lots of amazing and nice pictures. I was turning and 'twisting' my camera to get the best possible angle for my pictures.
The internal of Chaiya temple is a serene and peaceful place. The floor tiles are imprinted with repeated motifs of lily plants - a very oriental feeling. I saw a HUGE reclining Buddha at the middle of the temple. Later, I discovered the statue was only built in 1958, in conjunction with the 2500th anniversary of the birth of Buddha, at a cost of RM100,000.
There are two - three 'golden monk' in the temple. I named them the 'golden monk' because they were pasted with over hundreds of gold paper. I am not really sure whether these golden monks are the usual porcelain statues or real mummified human monks.
Remember to check out WAT CHAIYAMANGALARAM (Part 2) for more divine pictures and reviews!
