Our Joyous Vesak 2026 by Thekchen Choling Singapore

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.

Key highlights include the unveiling of Southeast Asia’s largest Shakyamuni Buddha Thangka — a four-storey hand-sewn masterpiece made of silk brocade, beads and sequins — accompanied by chanting, a gong ceremony and a dramatic light-up. The festival also features a 16-foot replica of the Bodhgaya Stupa, modelled after the UNESCO World Heritage site in India marking the Buddha’s enlightenment.

One of the most anticipated programmes is Singapore’s Largest Animal Blessing Ceremony on 26 May, where over 1,000 pets and their owners gather for blessings by Venerable Sanghas, wishing animals happiness, good health and a bright future. The experience is complemented by a Dharma Sharing talk, You Are Your Pet’s Guru, as well as ongoing pet-friendly activities throughout the week, including bathing the Buddha, offering flowers, circumambulating the stupa, and the Paw-traits booth featuring hand-drawn pet portraits by Dharma Youth volunteers.

The festival also includes community-focused initiatives such as the Heart of Giving Market in partnership with Braddell Heights Constituency, distributing essentials to lower-income families, as well as key Dharma moments across Vesak Eve and Vesak Day, including a candlelit Grand Dharma Light Circumambulation and a Vesak Day Prayer for World Peace & Harmony attended by Speaker of Parliament Mr Seah Kian Peng.

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