Wat Mongkolratanaram

For the Thai temple in Tampa, see Wat Mongkolratanaram, Tampa

Wat Mongkolratanaram
Information
People
Abbot(s) Ajahn Manat
Location
Address 1911 Russell St, Berkeley, CA

Coordinates: 37°51′22.69″N 122°16′14.46″W / 37.8563028°N 122.2706833°W / 37.8563028; -122.2706833 Wat Mongkolratanaram (Thai: วัดมงคลรัตนาราม) is a small Thai Buddhist temple located in Berkeley, California. A wat, it mainly attracts Thai American Buddhists, including many who are students at the University of California, Berkeley, but it also draws in many local, non-Buddhists who come searching for the authentic Thai food public brunch on Sundays[1] or attend its frequent cultural events. The temple is home to a Thai school for San Francisco Bay Area youth, as well as Berkeley's Thai Cultural Center.[2]

In 2001, it marked 25 years of being a temple by completing renovations to its Victorian house that customized it in temple style.[3]

In February 2009, a group of neighbors sought to shut down the Sunday public brunch, citing litter and traffic.[4] The Zoning Adjustments Board of Berkeley voted 8 to 1 to keep the Sunday brunch, and the board chair "praised the temple for being a positive influence" in the neighborhood.[5] The brunch runs on donations; visitors pay for tokens and exchange them for dishes.[6]

The Thailand-born Ajahn Manat is the current abbot of Wat Mongkolratanaram.

In 1997 the Wat was home to the East Bay chapter of the Cypherpunks.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hosseini, Mariam (August 12, 2011). "Berkeley's Hidden Brunch Spot". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  2. ↑ "About". Thai Cultural Center of the San Francisco Bay Area. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  3. ↑ Lorenz, Matt (June 26, 2001). "Thai community dedicates temple". The Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  4. ↑ Fowler, Geoffrey A. (2009-02-10). "Brunch as a Religious Experience Is Disturbing Berkeley's Karma". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  5. ↑ Bhattacharjee, Riya (February 18, 2009). "Zoning Board Allows Thai Temple To Continue Sunday Brunch". The Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  6. ↑ Elison, Meg (September 19, 2013). "Bay’s best brunches". The Daily Californian. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  7. ↑ Slater, Dashka (March 14, 1997). "Secret Agents". Bay Area Weekly. Retrieved 2011-05-17.

External links


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