A Thai monk, Venerable Vutthisasara who arrived in Singapore in 1927, built this Buddhist temple. A statue of Buddha was placed inside a ramshackle zinc and wood shelter at Race Course Road, which became very popular by the 1930s. Plans were made to rebuild the temple and convert it into a grand building. A new temple was built with funds from the Aw Brothers.
The highlight of the temple is the 15-metre, 300-ton Buddha statue surrounded by 989 lights. This is why many refer to the temple as “Temple of a Thousand Lights”. There is also a reclining Buddha which is housed in a small chamber at the back. There are also statues of Ganesha and the 4-faced Buddha, which is similar to the Hindu god (Brahma).
An interesting feature of this temple is that it reflects the harmony between the Buddhist and Hindu devotees in the Gods that are worshipped here. Similarly, the Kwan Im Tong Hood Che Temple at 178, Waterloo Street and the Sri Krishna Bagawan Temple at 152, Waterloo Street next to it also have Chinese and Indian devotees visiting them.
Marker Text:
Vutthisasara, a monk from Thailand, founded the temple in 1927. This was selected as it was in an area predominantly settled by both Indians and Chinese. The original temple that was built here was a wooden structure with a simple courtyard. Its design reflected a mixture of Chinese and Indian influences, reminiscent of a Thai Wat. During the Japanese Occupation, many people sought refuge here as religious institution were seldom attacked. While forced to perform menial labour in the area, many British prisoners-of-war also took the opportunity to pass secret notes and letters back to England through the temple. One of the most magnificent structures within is a giant Buddha statue standing at a height of 15 metres and weighing 300 tons. The temple is popularly known as ‘ The Temple of 1,000 Lights’.