Kelantan shares the same border with the Province of Narathiwat in Thailand. Hence, there are pockets of Thai settlements in the rural areas in Kelantan, especially in the areas that are close to the Malaysia-Thai border. There are at least twenty Theravada Buddhist temples or Wat in Kelantan.
Kelantan shares the same border with the Province of Narathiwat in Thailand. Hence, there are pockets of Thai settlements in the rural areas in Kelantan, especially in the areas that are close to the Malaysia-Thai border.
Although Kelantan is labelled as the Veranda of Mecca and the Malay culture dominates the everyday life of the people in the state, we can’t deny that there is Thai influence in terms of religion, culture and food.
There are at least twenty Theravada Buddhist temples or Wat in Kelantan. This proves that Buddhism can be practised in a predominantly Islam social and cultural sphere without generating religious and ethnic tension. Nevertheless, Buddhism is only a minority religion in Kelantan.
Wat Mai Suwankiri
Wat Mai Suwankiri is located in Kampung Bukit Tanah, Tumpat.
The main shrine comprises a three-storey building with a statue of the Standing Buddha between the twin roofs of the building. The design of this main shrine is influenced by Chinese architecture as there are sculptures of tigers and white lions as well as pillars with engraving of dragons at the entrance. A statue of the Buddha, known as Phra Cinnaraj is seated in the main hall. There is also a wax statue of Phor Tan Di, a charismatic monk revered by the local community. The corpse of Phor Tan Di is preserved and encased in a dark-glass compartment on the first floor.
On the grounds of Wat Mai Suwankiri is a Vihara, shaped as a dragon boat. The vihara is surrounded by a moat and is guarded by four dragon guardians at each corner. The bow of the Dragon Boat is guarded by two dragon head sculptures. A sculpture of a mermaid can be found in the moat that surrounds the vihara. As it is surrounded by water, it is known as Vihara Nam, meaning Water Monastery. The statue of Phra Mae Thorani is positioned in front of the vihara. Phra Mae Thorani is believed to be able to wring water out of her hair as a weapon against evil. According to mythology, Phra Mae Thorani drowned the demon, Mara who tried to tempt Lord Buddha during his meditation under the Bodhi tree.
The other structures on the grounds of Wat Mai Suwankiri are a crematorium; a columbarium; a bell and drum tower; the Late Monk Loong Phor Dee pavilion, the Holy Ordination Hall; the Kuan Yin shrine; and the Bhrama or Four-faced Buddha shrine.
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Wat Machimmaram
Wat Machimmaram is located in Tumpat. It is a Theravada Buddhist Temple. The shrine hall is within the large statue of the Sitting Buddha, about thirty metres tall.
Construction of the temple began in 1991 and took ten years to complete. At that time, namely in 2001, it was the tallest statue of Buddha in Southeast Asia.
The statue is coated with small shiny mosaic tiles while the bottom lip of the Buddha is coated in gold. The statue, representing the Meditation Buddha sits cross-legged on a lotus, which forms the room of the temple.
The design of the temple is a combination between Thai and Chinese styles. There are also statues of Chinese guardian deities in the temple.
There is an inscription at the entrance bearing the name Phra Buddha Bhrameedharm Chamruslok in Thai script, in Roman alphabet and in Chinese characters. Phra Buddha Bhrameedharm Chamruslok means the ‘light of the Buddha’s Dhamma enlightens the world’.
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Wat Ariyakiri
Wat Ariyakiri is situated in Pauh Lima, Bachok. The wat has been around for more than a century.
The main shrine is a modern building, called Wiharn. Inside the building are, a statue of Phra Kru Viriyasarngvorn or Phor Than Lek, the highly revered monk who was the chief monk of Wat Ariyakiri until his demise in 1975 as well as a picture of Phra Kru Metta Tammaphon or Phor Than Thian, a disciple of Phor Than Lek and also a past chief monk of the wat.
Within the grounds of the wat is the Phra Phrom Shrine, which is a partially-opened shrine. The shrine is guarded at four corners by sculptures of a British officer, a British navy, a British India soldier and a Japanese soldier. This shrine was built to commemorate the existence of Wat Ariyakiri before the war.
There is also an old building that features traditional Thai architecture. This building accommodates the statue of Phra Lersi (that the Thais believe will bring auspicious things, prosperity and safety for their lives as well as fulfil their wishes). There is also a crematorium and a columbarium on the grounds of the wat, together with a community hall and a Thai school.
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Wat Prachumthat Chanaram
Wat Prachumthat Chanaram is situated in Kampung Jubakar, Tumpat, not far from the Malaysia-Thai border. It is believed that the wat has been there for three centuries. While there are old structures on the grounds of the wat, there are a few modern structures. Wat Prachumthat Chanaram is located near to Wat Machimmaram.
There is a golden archway at the entrance of the wat complex. The archway resembles traditional Thai archways and the name of the wat is inscribed in Thai script.
The entrance to the main hall, which is called the Dharma Hall is guarded by a pair of golden seven-headed dragons. Most of the buildings in this complex are built according to traditional Thai architecture. However, there is a building, which features Chinese architectural design. There is a statue of the Laughing Buddha as well as a statue of a phra or monk near to the entrance of this building.
Surprisingly, there is a bronze statue of the elephant-headed Ganesh, a Hindu deity in the wat complex. Other statues that can be found in this wat complex are the Phra Phrom or the Four-Faced Buddha, a kneeling elephant, a Sitting Buddha and monks in meditation. As in the case of most wats in Kelantan, there is also a columbarium in this wat.
Wat Prachumthat Chanaram is sometimes referred to by the locals as Wat Pho Than Neang. Phor Than Neang was the chief monk of this wat. He dedicated his whole life teaching Buddhism and guiding his followers.
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Wat Phothivihan
Wat Phothivihan is located in Tumpat, near to the Thai border between Kampung Ana and Kampung Berok.
Wat Phothivihan has a Reclining Buddha, which happens to be the largest in Malaysia. Constructed in 1979, the statue is forty metres long. Thus, it is seven metres longer than the one in the famous Wat Chayamangkalaram in Penang.
There are murals and smaller statues of the Buddha in the same shrine hall. Behind and beneath the statue of the Reclining Buddha is a columbarium that stores the urns that contain the ashes of the departed.
On the temple grounds is a structure that represents the Wheel of Dharma or Dharmachakra. There is also a Chinese-cum-Tibetan style pavilion with the statues of Bodhisatva Avalokiteshvara, Kuan Yin and DiZang Wang.
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Wat Pikulthong
Wat Pikulthong is located at Kampung Terbok in Tumpat. Wat Pikulthong has two impressive statues of the Walking Buddha lined up in a row. The statue at the back is extremely huge and is believed to be the tallest statue of the Buddha in Kelantan.
The statue of the Walking Buddha stands tall at 60 metres above the ground. Construction of this statue took ten years to complete.
Wat Pikulthong is the first Thai Buddhist temple in Kelantan to receive the Royal Kathin robes from the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The kathin robe was presented to the chief monk in November 2008 during the Kathina festival.
The wat has a lot of open space and there are several stone slabs, serving as gravestones on the grounds. The other structures in this wat, however, are not too impressive.
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