Thekchen Choling Singapore brings its largest Vesak festival yet to the heartlands this May, as the temple commemorates its Silver Jubilee in 2026. Our Joyous Vesak runs from 25 to 31 May at the open field beside NEX, extending last year’s three-day run with a full week of cultural celebrations, animal blessings, wellness programmes, family activities and community giving, open to all, regardless of background or belief. This year’s festival takes inspiration from the Buddhist parable of the Four Friends, a story of harmony and mutual respect that runs through the design, programming and spirit of the week.
SOUTHEAST ASIA’S LARGEST SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA THANGKA
The first day of Our Joyous Vesak will open with the unveiling of its Giant Wish-Fulfilling Shakyamuni Buddha Thangka at 7pm. Four storeys tall and entirely hand-sewn from silk brocade, beads and sequins, it is the largest Shakyamuni Buddha appliqué thangka in Southeast Asia. The unveiling will be accompanied by chanting, a gong ceremony and light-up, creating a magical atmosphere unlike anything the temple has staged before. The festival will also feature a 16-foot replica of the Bodhgaya Stupa, modelled on the UNESCO World Heritage site in India marking the place of the Buddha’s enlightenment 2,600 years ago.
SINGAPORE’S LARGEST ANIMAL BLESSING CEREMONY
Now in its fifth year, the Animal Blessing Ceremony on 26 May at 7pm is one of the festival’s most beloved traditions. With over 1,000 pets and their owners attending each year, the ceremony will see Venerable Sanghas blessing animals, wishing them happiness, good health and a bright future. A Dharma Sharing talk, You Are Your Pet’s Guru, will precede the ceremony at 6pm, exploring what it means to be a mindful, caring presence in an animal’s life. Throughout the week, pets and their owners can also take part in merit-making activities together, including bathing the Buddha, offering flowers and circumambulating the stupa. Visitors can also stop by the Paw-traits booth, where Dharma Youth volunteers will sketch hand-drawn portraits of their pets.
