It’s the 14th April 2024. It’s a normal Sunday for most in England with many families savouring the last day of the Easter holidays before schools open again. But in one leafy neighbourhood in Wimbledon, there is a constant stream of people walking in and out of a property right at the end of the street that’s hidden behind high white walls. Young and old from all religious faiths and nationalities, many are carrying large white plastic bags and large smiles on their faces, talking excitedly. It’s still morning, around brunchtime, but the neighbours don’t seem to mind the crowd. In fact, many are leaving their houses and are heading to the same place.
It's not until you turn the corner that you see the multi-tiered roofs covered in gold and intricate designs peaking out among the trees that you realise: you’re no longer in a wealthy London suburb, but on Thai temple grounds celebrating Songkran Festival, the Thai New Year.
And it immediately feels like a celebration.
A volunteer lightly dabs a flower shaped stamp on your cheeks, instantly cooling you down as you begin to process this new environment. There’s a group of aunties dancing in traditional dress. There’s a booth folding people backwards in a session of Thai massage. There’re mangoes, durians, Thai fabric, herbal ointments, earrings shaped like rice steamers. Is this a market? Did you just teleport to another country?
When the Thai community comes out in full force to celebrate the biggest event of the year, it certainly feels that way. Wat Buddhapadipa is a Thai Buddhist temple in Wimbledon that hosts all the biggest national events that’s usually celebrated in Thailand. Dozens of Thai food vendors and suppliers travel from all over the UK to participate in this event. The food in particular, is naturally a crowd favourite. By 1pm, the queues to the food stalls were so packed a regular refrain could be heard shouted back and forth: “This is going to take ages!”, “Should I just go back?”.
But no one ever does, and for good reason. Most -if not all- of these vendors do not own a brick-and-mortar restaurant. They’re usually just aunties making food at home, occasionally accepting individual orders throughout the year. And that’s only if you know their number or Facebook account. The food therefore, is probably the most authentic you’ll find in the UK. And be warned: it’s not just Pad Thai and mango sticky rice here, and the spice levels aren’t toned down for British taste buds.
Once you’ve finally got your food, find a place to sit among the temple’s sprawling grounds and enjoy the free cultural performances. There’s performances from the Thai Dance Academy, the Thai Music Circle, and Khun Bowie, a Thai lady with unlimited reserves of charisma and stage presence, rocking out Thai country music like it’s Beyonce’s new album.
But it’s not a Songkran celebration without some blessings and earning some good karma. The main temple building, which - dressed in full Buddhist regalia with its two tiered roofs covered in gold- could not look more Thai if it was standing in the middle of old town Bangkok itself. And the artwork inside is breathtaking in its vibrancy and artistry. Like the temples in Thailand, Buddhapadipa temple’s walls tell the story of the Buddha’s life, from his birth, enlightenment, to his death. Inside, Buddhist monks are busy giving blessings to visitors, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. They’re disarmingly friendly and generous, asking questions and giving personal blessings tailored to each person.
It’s impossible not to be won over by such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, even to those who are not familiar with Thai culture- or are tired from all that queuing for food. As weekend activities in London go, this is a true hidden gem.
Follow Buddhapadipa Temple’s Facebook page to be informed of their next event.
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