Accidental Tourist @ Annual Vesak Day Shoot

This year is my 4th set of photographs depicting the Vesak Day celebrations - previous postings made earlier in 2012, 2011 and 2010. 

I have been faithfully documenting the '3 steps 1 bow' ceremony held at Bright Hill monastery (aka Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple) as I am deeply humbled by the experience every time. 

Although I am not Buddhist, I have full admiration of the inner strength required from those who undertake to  perform this deceptively simple '3 steps 1 bow' ceremony every Vesak Day. I heard from some worshipers that the attendance for this ceremony has risen over the years and it is getting more and more difficult to get the tickets for performing this ceremony. 

For every shoot during this ceremony, I am constantly reminded that it is often not the physical strength but a case of mind, devotion and perseverance over physical body strength.

On the actual Vesak Day itself, I took an early morning trip  down to a temple I visited last year called Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple in Toa Payoh, hopped over to Thekchen Cholin Tibetan Temple at Balestier Road before ending my Vesak Day temple shoot at my favorite temple in Chinatown, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. This is also the 1st year that my Vesak Day shoot has been marked by heavy rainfall....well, there's always a first time for everything :) 

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!!

Accidental Tourist - Vesak Day 2012

To mark my 3rd year holding onto my DSLR, I continue with my yearly tradition of covering the Vesak Day festivities at various temples in Singapore - my blog entries of visits made in 2010 and 2011. 

For this year, I decided to head down to 3 temples i.e. 
(1) Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple (aka Bright Hill Temple to me) is the largest Buddhist temple in Singapore and also holds has the largest '3 steps 1 bow' ceremony in the evening before Vesak Day. 

I continue to express my utmost respect for all participants of this ceremony - to me, undertaking a ceremony that requires one to walk 3 steps before fully prostrating yourself on the hard tarmac floor for 2 whole hours is worthy of respect. How grueling? Well, I only took the photos and my thighs and body was aching all over for 2 whole days after the evening shoot. My collection of 3 photos marking the ceremony. 

Head Abbott together with his Monks at the start of the Ceremony

(2) Thekchen Choling Tibetan Temple which has a special ceremony that involved the unveiling of a 14foot/ 3 meter long Thangka only on Vesak Day. The purpose of a Thangka is intended to serve as a record of, and guide for contemplative experience. They are intended to convey iconographic information in a pictorial manner. One can donate prayer flags and wishing ribbons - my "to-do" list for next year is to attend the fire puja ceremony that will be conducted in the evening. 

Butter Lamps

Bathing the Buddha Ceremony

(2) Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple was also on my "to visit" list this year as it's Singapore's oldest Buddhist temple and second largest in Asia. Built between the years 1902 to 1908, the temple literally translates to the Twin Grove of the Lotus Mountain Buddhist Temple. The grounds are HUGE - a mental note was to venture into the grounds of this magnificent place  early next year. 

Till the next time, onto the world & beyond!!!