Dharma Bhakti Temple Jakarta

Dharma Bhakti Temple, originally completed in 1650, is the oldest Chinese temple in Jakarta’s Chinatown, Glodok. It is locally called Kim Tek Le in Hokkien or Jin De Yuan in Mandarin. The central deity of this shrine is Guan Yin or Kwan Im, the Boddhisattva associated with mercy and compassion. The sanctum sanctorum of the Goddess is decked with dozens of bronze statues and red-colored burning candles that set a spiritual aura.

There are three smaller temples ahead of the main hall, each dominated by different Tao and Confucian deities, denoting that the temple follows Mahayana Buddhism. Before stepping into the main temple, you can light incense sticks and make your wishes known to Guan Yin by planting them in a large bronze bowl called the Hio-Louw. The temple has taken a lot of damage over the years because of wars and tragedies, most recently in an accidental fire in 2015. It is still being reconstructed in places. You should go around and admire the architecture that remains - fine calligraphy around the pillars, intricate sculptures of dragons and other mythical creatures, and more. Red and gold are the dominating colors of the temple, which looks even more regal and mystic amid the haze of burning candles and incense sticks. 

The temple is the center of Chinese festivities in Jakarta, including the famous Lantern Festival (Cap go meh in Hokkien), Zhong Yuan Festival (Cioko in Hokkien), and the Chinese New Year.