Coming into the UK, the only thing I was able to associate Wimbledon with was tennis. Indeed, one of the must-see items my friends had on their London bucket lists was the tennis club. My voyage down to the south-of-Thames neighborhood, however, was for an entirely separate, although equally cultural, reason: the Buddhapadipa Temple.
The Buddhapadipa Temple was the first Thai Buddhist temple in London, established in 1966 under the Royal Thai Embassy. The temple’s grounds are open daily, free for visitors of all backgrounds who are looking to enjoy the serene, soothing atmosphere. Events and activities are hosted as well, ranging from meditation retreats to Dhamma sermons to celebrations of holidays such as Songkran, the Thai New Year.
Located within the quiet sprawl of residential streets, the temple is nestled in between the Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon Common and is easily accessible by the 94 bus. The short walk from the stop to the temple is amicable, especially in good weather. Trees sway merrily in the breeze, hanging over the half-walls and gates surrounding stately homes. Out for strolls are handholding couples and contented dogs trotting beside their owners.
It may be easy to miss Buddhapadipa if one is not quite looking for it, if one happens to be too enchanted by a glorious day to keep an eye out for the golden plaque marking the entrance. But once it’s spotted, the alternating British and Thai flags and far-off glint of the temple’s roof is unmistakable.
The turn off to the temple opens up into a single concrete driveway beneath a string of hanging flags. A few cars are parked up against the wall; but aside from that, it’s almost as if stepping into a mini-community. To the immediate left is a garden, an abloom tangle of bush and flower that radiates in honey-like sunlight. Behind it stands a brick manor, proud and still, and a driveway that separates it from the garden in a little arc.
Continue down the driveway and the temple quickly comes into view. While not an enormous structure, it is intricately designed and mesmerizing to look at.
The outer walls of the temple itself are painted in a clean coat of pure white; it extends to the fencing surrounding it, the columns supporting the overhang of the roof, and the carved white lions that sit like guards at the foot of the steps.
In the style of traditional Thai temples, the roof is multi-tiered, a cascading layer of deep royal-red shingles lined upon each other. It edges out around the walls in sharp, commanding angles, contrasting with the shocking white beneath it.
The illustrious gold accents make it feel all the more magnificent. They are painted on the underside of eaves in a pattern of stars and suns; they sit like crowns at the tops of stretching white columns; they are lined like teeth around doorways and along the edges. At the roof’s pinnacle and outer corners, gold ornaments flare up like the flames of a growing fire.
The interior of the temple is only open on weekends and upon prior group bookings, but it’s well worth it to see the paintings of Buddha that decorate the walls. They capture different stages of his life in vivid colors and bold strokes, and go beyond Buddha as well to include other figures such as Mother Theresa. The shrine sits at the center, with three statues of Buddha surrounded by candles other adornments.
Beyond the temple, however, the lands of Buddhapadipa continue to stretch in grassy fields that meet a pond criss-crossed with bridges. Flowers pepper the grounds, and the open space is where food stands and performance stages are set up during celebratory events.
The residents of the temple are milling about as well, tending to the grounds and cleaning the outer patio of Buddhapadipa. Monks may be seen standing on the stoop of the home or strolling around the glassy pond, sporting their elegant red and gold robes that glimmer against the greens of the trees and grasses. In the long, low houses that stand opposite of the temple, the voices of the nuns can be heard through half-opened windows and ajar doors.
Regardless of the reason for the visit, the Buddhapadipa Temple is a transcendent place to stop by. The streets and homes surrounding it melt away; one can enjoy being immersed in the tranquility of nature and beauty of the temple, if even for a second.
But a visit doesn’t have to necessarily be reposeful and serene: visiting on the busier weekends or for certain events are bound to result in more ways to interact and learn about the wonderful culture that Buddhapadipa celebrates.
The Buddhapadipa Temple is located at 14 Calonne Road in Wimbledon and is open from 9:30am-6pm during the spring and summer; and 9:30am-5pm during the fall and winter.
