| Dhammikarama Burmese Temple | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Lorong Burma, Pulau Tikus |
| Municipality | George Town |
| State | Penang |
| Country | Malaysia |
.svg)  Location within George Town | |
| Geographic coordinates | 5°25′51.345″N 100°18′51.347″E / 5.43092917°N 100.31426306°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Burmese temple |
| Founder | U. Nandamala[1] |
| Date established | 1803[1][2][3][4] |
Dhammikarama Burmese Temple (Burmese: ဓမ္မိကာရာမမြန်မာကျောင်း) is a Theravada Buddhist temple within George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Situated at Lorong Burma opposite Wat Chayamangkalaram, it is the only Burmese temple in the state, and a focal point for the annual Water, Thingyan and Mid-Autumn festivals in the city, as well as the Buddhist Lent.[4][3]
- ^ a b "The Early History of the Burmese Community in Penang". Penang Story. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
Most of the early Burmese community were concentrated in the Burmese Village in Pulau Tikus. The original site of the temple land was purchased by Nonia Betong from George Layton for 390 Spanish dollars. The temple was founded on 1 August 1803 and named the Nandy Moloh Temple. The four trustees were all ladies: Nonia Betong, Nonia Meerut, Nonia Koloh and Nonia Bulan. The Burmese community expanded, and together with the Thai Buddhist community they appealed to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom for land to build bigger temples and burial grounds for elders. Queen Victoria through the East India Company granted land jointly for the Siamese and Burmese communities to erect their temples. The Burmese Temple Trustees in 1845 were Nong May and Bon Khan.
- ^ Khoo Salma Nasution (2007). Streets of George Town, Penang. Areca Books. pp. 52–53. ISBN 978-983-9886-00-9.
- ^ a b "A Tale of Three Temples – The Temples of Pulau Tikus". Penang Free Sheet. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, on Lorong Burma, is the only Burmese temple in Penang State, making it a unique to the State itself. First established in 1803, it is also the oldest Buddhist temple in Penang. In typical Burmese style, the temple complex is typified by traditional Burmese stupas, jutting above Pulau Tikus' shophouses and shining golden under Penang's blue skies. On first entering under the complex's ornate portico, a covered, open-air walkway leads you to the rear shrine. Lining this walkway is a huge mural depicting the Renunciation of Buddha, the story of how Buddha renounced his earthly desires while being plagued by tempting demons. The central gardens are filled with mythical creatures such as the chinthe, a lion-like guardian, and garudas, a humanoid bird prevalent in Buddhist and Hindu mythology. There is also a statue called 'Pance Rupa', comprised of two chimeras either side of a large globe. If you look closely you may be able to spot the three elements of land, air and sea in their bodies. The complex is an active Buddhist one, still capable of housing devotees and monks who have travelled to the temple. The complex comes with a monks' quarters, a preceptees' lodge and a library within the temple grounds. It also includes a well that was originally duy for use by the surrounding Burmese community; with the advent of piped water, the well has since been disused.
- ^ a b "Buddhist temples in Penang". New Straits Times. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2019 – via PressReader.