Buddha Tooth Relic Temple - Singapore

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum (BTRTM) is one of the most prominent religious and cultural sites in Singapore and a major tourist attraction in Singapore. The strikingly marvelous structure of the temple opened its gate for public visit in 2007 and since then its number of visitors every year is on the rise. The Tang style architecture of the temple with shades of brilliant red, green and gold on the exterior never fails to amaze the first time or even regular visitors.

Photo by NICHOLAS LOO on Unsplash

Individuals following the practices upheld by monk Buddha are collectively known as Buddhists. Buddhism has quite a history in Singapore. 43% of Singapore’s population follows Buddhism, making it the biggest religious denomination by population in the state. Buddhism is also practiced in the North-Eastern states of India. The architecture of the temples is unique. It showcases strong Indian subcontinental influences. And one such famous buddhist temple in Singapore is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

The mild aroma of incense candles and the tinkles of the chimes will soothe your senses and drift you to a different world as you pass the main entrance of the temple. The four-storied temple is divided into different levels each level dedicated to a different aspect of Lord Buddha. The walls of the Universal Wisdom Hall are adorned with Buddha figurines each with a particular name and showing specific mudra (hand symbol).

Photo by rehan verma from Pexels

The cynosure of attraction in the BTRTM is the tooth relic of Gautama Buddha enshrined on a giant stupa made of 402 Kg of gold where Buddhist monks perform daily rituals. It is open for public viewing only twice a day from a certain distance. The rooftop garden atop the fourth floor abounds with rare kinds of trees and shrubs making it a tranquil haven for visitors to rest and meditate in tranquillity.

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple also boasts of housing the Vairocana Buddha Prayer Wheel, which is the largest prayer wheel of the world. Though primarily an institution for promoting Buddhist philosophy, BTRTM is also known for its dedicated welfare service to the underprivileged section of the society through various activities.

The Buddha Tooth Relic temple and museum is one of Singapore’s most popular and most visited tourist destinations. The temple gets its name after a left canine tooth in gold stupa was found, while digging up the place in Myanmar, where Buddha was buried. It was later brought to Singapore to the Buddha temple and the followers started to worship it. 

Types of services are provided in Temple

A number of services are provided by the monks of the Tooth Relic Temple that uphold the Buddhist philosophy of compassion, fraternity and service to mankind. If you are visiting during the service timings at the temple you can witness the various community services provided by the Buddhist monks of the temple:

Kreta Ayer Activities: The temple conducts community activities for underprivileged residents in the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Constituency. The temple authorities in collaboration with the Kreta Ayer Seniors Activity Centre and Citizens Consultative Committee provide medical assistance and celebrate Chinese New Year for the residents of the constituency.

Ceremonial activities: The daily service of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum starts at 7 AM with the opening of the Mountain Gate. From 9AM-4: 30 PM there is the Great Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom Group Practice, at 6:15 PM the closing ceremony begins with drum, bell, and board ritual and at 7 PM the Mountain Gate closes for the day.

Other services: During the months between April-August, there is group practice for Great Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom and during the month of July Emperor Liang Group Practice and Offering to Pretas are performed.

Places to visit near Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum 

Singapore is a city which never disappoints its visitors by the number of exciting places to ramble through and explore its rich heritage and culture. Apart from the fabled Tooth Relic Temple, there are many other sites in its neighbourhood that are worth your visit.  A rundown of the highly recommended places near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is given below:

1. Singapore City Gallery- 

Located beside the Maxwell Food Centre about 0.2 Km from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, the 3 storied Singapore City Gallery is the essence of the bustling city of Singapore. The chief attraction is a massive replica of the city with its walkways, skyscrapers, historical buildings, etc. which gives you a bird’s eye view of the streetscapes of Singapore.

2. Sri Mariamman Temple- 

This is also the oldest Hindu temple of Singapore which is located about 0.2 Km from the Tooth Relic Temple. The annual fire walking ceremony is the most crowd-pulling event of the temple which is held during October-November. There is no entry fee but taking photographs may be chargeable.

3. Chinatown Heritage Centre- 

The three thoughtfully restored shopping outlets at Pagoda Street located 0.2 Km away from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum brings back vivacious memories of the developing years of Singapore as a global financial centre through an onerous journey. It is the only place in Singapore which has restored the original interiors of the shophouse tenants of the 50s to render a real glimpse of Chinatown’s early settlement to the visitors.

4. Drama Box- 

It is a great amusement hangout for theatre lovers who are interested to know about the culture and social history of Chinatown through documentaries. Drama Box was founded in 1990 and is now a member of the Singapore Chinese Language Theatre Alliance. The non-profit company is located 0.2 Km from the Buddha Tooth Relic Museum.

5. Chan Ngee- 

The three-generation old curio shop located about 0.2 Km from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is a sought-after shopping halt for Oriental antique lovers. Across the 5000 sq. ft. area of the Singapore City Gallery you can find collectables made from cane, wood and porcelain, tea sets made from China Clay, paintings, etc. The Gallery also hosts cultural events at Singapore ChinaTown.

Essential Information:

Location: 288, South Bridge Road, Singapore-058840

Timings: 

• Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is open every day from 7AM -7 PM.

• Only some parts of the temple close by 6 PM.

• Timings for visiting the Buddhist Culture Museum and Relic Chamber are between 9AM -6PM

• The Eminent Sangha Museum is 7AM -7PM.

• Guided Tours are open every Saturday at 2PM.

Price: There is as such no entry fee for visiting the temple. Donations for maintenance are accepted and appreciated.

Tips before visiting Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

• Photography – To get a better picture of the temple with good lighting, try taking pictures from the stairwell near the housing building of the public. 

• Guided Tour – If you wish to learn more about the temple, you can plan a visit on Saturdays where the temple administration organizes a free guided tour to know for anyone who is interested. The tour takes approx 2 hours to complete. So plan your day accordingly.