Thai Monastery in the midst of Muslim Indonesia – a symbol of tolerance and religious harmony

Situated in the middle of the densely populated western part of Jakarta and surrounded by five mosques, the presence of the Hemadhiro Mettavati Buddhist monastery in the midst of the Muslim nation of Indonesia demonstrates tolerance and religious harmony. in the land of thousands of islands.

Built in 2015 and completed in 2019, the 2,141m2 Hedhiro Mettavai Buddhist Monastery has a majestic and splendid 3-storey yellow design. This is the only monastery in Indonesia with the same design as the monasteries in Thailand. The monks and nuns at this monastery are all from Thailand and can speak Indonesian fluently. The monk prepares for the Buddha bathing ceremony at the temple. Tourists and Buddhist monks and nuns from all over the world participating in Buddha bathing rituals strictly follow medical protocols during the Covid-19 pandemic. The main altar with a large Buddha image. More than 100 golden Buddha statues are the highlight of the monastery. The first floor is a place to worship more than 200 monks across Thailand through the ages. Candle sculptures depict the monks’ portraits. Along with the majestic jade Buddha statue. In addition, the Buddhist monastery is surrounded by five mosques and three prayer rooms that show religious harmony. Especially inside the monastery complex there is a Muslim prayer room which is welcomed by the community. The statues decorated on the chandeliers or on the roof are taken from the images of gods and birds. Buddha statue aquarium in the monastery grounds. The chanting time usually ends before 12 noon and does not affect the worship of the majority of the local Muslim population. Before the pandemic, the monastery held a religious teaching activity for children at 9am every Sunday. This year, the monastery celebrated Buddha’s birthday in an online form due to the impact of the pandemic.