Description of the attraction
Temple Wat Nikrodharam is located almost in the center of the city of Alor Setar. This capital of the Malay state of Kedah is located near the border with Thailand, and in different centuries the city was located on one side of the border. This significantly influenced all aspects of the life of the ancient city - the composition of the population, national cuisine, culture, architecture, etc. Alor Setar is an amazing mix of Thai and Malay.
The small but very imposing temple of Wat Nikrodharam is a clear example of such a mixture of styles. It was built by members of the Buddhist community, which includes the Chinese and Thais living in the city. The architecture of the temple is dominated by the Thai style with a slight splash of Chinese motives. The internal arrangement of typical Thai temples is characterized by separate halls - a hall of shrines, a hall of location and even a separate hall for storing sacred texts (in our opinion, a library). There is a separate hall where you can get religious education.
The appearance of the Wat Nikrodharam temple is also a masterpiece of Thai architecture - with high tiled roofs (as opposed to the curved roofs of Chinese temples), and filigree decorative trim. The gilded roofs of this iconic structure, colorful mosaics and carvings on the walls are recognizable features of most Thai temples.
This bright and beautiful temple in white-green-gold tones is a sanctuary and spiritual haven for the city's Buddhists. Followers of the second (largest) denomination in the country continue the Theravada and Mahayana traditions in the temple. Buddhist monks from other countries often come here to perform these religious rites.
Overall, this Buddhist shrine is a significant place helping to understand the importance of the two religions of Malaysia.
