The golden Pagoda at the side of the Main hall of Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island
 
Monks at Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island offers prayers to visitors Arabian Muslaim visitors to Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island
However, the SIMA Shirne and International Buddha image form may have been one highlight of the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple but its surrounding equally deserves a visit. Oh .. the Monk at duty can be easily located for prayers at the SIMA Shrine hall. Frankly, I find western tourists are more incline to visit this Burmese temple than to the comparing Wat Chaiya Thai temple, probably the structure is so much different. Shown is a Arabian Muslim tourist, where I regarded it as a good, healthy sign for cross border understanding.
History of Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island The Goddess of water at the rear section of Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island Various Buddhist statues installed at the rear section of Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island Foreign tourist hot spot at Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island

A new instalation of Buddhist images at the side of Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island

The Temple Management is very considerate by laying a history and background of the temple crafted on a large piece of black marble. At the rear section, just at the front of the Lecture Hall, you will find an original well which dated more than 200 years old to serve the monks of the temple during its infancy stage of construction. A new structure was also being built in raw Burmese architecture to host another image in white marble (forgot to take down the information, picture below). This beautifully crafted variant of Buddha image is all white marble. Anyway, I am not from Penang, and may be lacking other related information pertaining to this Burmese temple, if you have other information that can be shared or beef up the content of this section of the site, please furnish me with more info. Thanks.

ARAHANT UPAGUTTA, The main image at the side structure at Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island
Arahant Upagutta:- The Arahant Upagutta shrine was originally a small plank building, and was constructed in 1840 on the present site. The new shrine was constructed in 1976 and the image was consecrated on 18th December 1978. Arahant Upagutta is stated to possess the power to overcome all obstacles, problems, fulfilling of wishes like kid's exam. sickness etc. and also, Errrr.. the exorcising of evil spirits. It was flanked by two groups of statues. One is Arahant Khema, who is the first female disciple of the Loard Buddha (center image at the top image panel). She is especially noted for her great beauty and wisdom. The image is accompanied by both Devis (heavenly Maidens).At the front section is a pool and an female image is on top of a lotus. You can make wish by throwing coins onto her bowl before making a wish (Click on images above).

Tapak Sejarah, historical Heritage site by State Government of Penang to Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang Island
 
Personally, I sincerely felt Dhammikarama Burmese Temple requires more exposure to be another tourist hot spots . Although it has been identified as one of Penang State's Heritage Site, but it takes more to lure in more visitors. One of the main reason is being, Malaysian Buddhist community are practicing more on Mahayana Buddhism with school of Tharavada Buddhism picking up its momentum due to political border closer to Thailand than Burma (now called Myanmar). You can say lack of information with the military ruled, trouble Nation could be the main cause for Buddhist of other nations to understand more with Burmese Buddhist practice, and that was why I took a trip to Myanmar in 2005 where you can browse around to have your first taste of Burmese Buddhist Cultural presence.

The same I think where it relates to the state of development of Dhammikarama Burmese Temple in Penang. Although one could argue it couldn't be possibly true but if you have sometime, you can notice even tourists are quite reluctant to spend more time at the Burmese temple than a comparing Thai temple of Wat Chaiya.
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Credit: To all the good people who have contributed their own experience, resources or those who are kind enough in granting us the permission to use their images that appeared on this site. Note: Certain content and images appeared on this site were taken by using a Canon PowerShot Pro-1 digital camera. Some materials appeared on this site were scanned from some leaflets, brochures or publications published by Wat Pak Nam and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their work for educational purposes. The creator of the site will not be responsible for any discrepancies that may arise from such dispute except rectifying