Edmund Lee Tat WengThe Kek Lok Si temple ushered the year of rabbit in style with thousands of colorful light bulbs adorning the 120 year old pagoda.
The Buddhist temple of Kek Lok Si is situated in Air Itam, a suburb of Georgetown.
“We came all the way from Johor Bahru to Penang just to catch a glimpse of this pagoda on Chinese New Year,” said Rosli who came accompanied with his family members.
Hundreds of devotees, tourists and some prominent figures also made their way into the temple to offer prayers and watch the spectacular sights of the fully lit pagoda.
Many people swarmed the temple to pray for their health, wealth and well-being just before the birth of the new year of the Chinese lunar calendar
Most of the devotees started arriving in the temple after the customary reunion dinner with their families and spend their time in the temple waiting for the countdown of the year of rabbit.
Enthusiastic shutterbugs were also seen all over the temple trying to photograph the magnificent sight.
The temple will remain lit up every night until March 2. It will be open from 8.30 a.m. to noon from Wednesday until Monday, Feb 10 and Feb 17.
Kek Lok Si is reputedly the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia with an enclave including a pagoda and a huge statue of the Goddess Kuan Yin.
A seven-storey pagoda of 10,000 Buddha images displays the essence of an eclectic mix of Chinese, Thai and Burmese architecture in this temple which was inspired by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple of Pitt Street.
C. Khor
CJMY
