Vesak celebrated in Kuala Lumpur

A float in the form of a boat

Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia has two main temples in Sentral Kuala Lumpur and in the Sentul area. Out of them, the larger one is the Buddhist Maha Vihara which is situated in Brickfields in Sentral Kuala Lumpur, which is also known as KL Sentral.

Founded in 1894 by the Sinhalese community based in the surrounding areas of Kuala Lumpur to provide a place of worship in the Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist tradition, the Buddhist Maha Vihara is the key driving force in Buddhist activities in Malaysia.

The chief incumbent of the temple is Ven. Datuk Kirinde Dhammaratana Maha Nayake Thera.

The temple is administered by a Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society in which bhikkhus from Sri Lanka play a major role. The body takes the initiative in organising all events related to Buddhism in Malaysia.

The Buddhist events related to the Chinese New Year which fell in the month of February were colourfully organised by the Maha Vihara which won the hearts of Chinese Buddhist community.

For Vesak, the Maha Vihara organised a colourful procession of all the Buddhist Societies, with contributions from well over 20 and the procession carried various phases of Lord Buddha's life in the form of statues, decorated items and recitals, which was over two kilometres long.

"The whole world of Buddhist devotees should bow their heads to the Maha Vihara of Malaysia for this grand occasion,” said Dr P A Denegama, a trainee Infertility Specialist at the National University of Malaysia who is in Kuala Lumpur on a six month training.

Pix: Dr. P.A. Denegama