Originally founded in 1927 as a modest construction by a Thai Buddhist monk named Vutthisasara, the temple functioned as a refuge for the local residents during World War II. The building which stands today was constructed through the generosity of two philanthropists, the brothers Aw Boon Par and Aw Boon Haw. The décor and architecture of the imposing building is considered to show traditional Thai design motifs.
The temple’s most noteworthy feature is probably the 15-metre tall seated Buddha statue which is estimated to weigh close to 300 tonnes. The shrine also contains numerous Buddha images of smaller size and is adorned with murals portraying the life of the Enlightened One. One of the temple’s treasures is the venerated representation of the Buddha’s footprint, created in mother-of-pearl and ebony; it is inspired by the sacred footprint at Adam’s Peak in the nation of Sri Lanka. The immense central statue is encircled by a vast number of light bulbs which are lit in the evening hours. Another popular feature of the shrine is its wheel of fortune, which may be spun by visitors for S$0.50.
Underneath the altar the visitor will find a smaller chamber which features a figure of the Buddha in a reclining position; this image represents the death of the Buddha beneath a Seraka tree.
The temple is at its busiest during the day of Vesak, which commemorates the birth as well as the enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha. On this important holiday, the Buddhist faithful make financial contributions to the temple and are permitted to affix gold leaf on to a small Buddha statue. By the end of the festival this figure is almost completely coated in the gold leaf.
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