News by Phuket Andaman Villas

Chinese shrines devotees were ready to invite Jade Emperor and Nine Emperor Gods from heavens by raising go teng poles at dusk last night while the priests began to recite incantations. Kathu Mayor, Chai-anan Sutthikul declared Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2011 officially open at Kathu Shrine as it was attending by Culture Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Prarop Laovanich and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Phrompong Nopparit.

This nine day festival enlivened by fireworks in the sky and lion dancers parade. Nine lanterns were hung in each go teng pole to mark the nine-day festival at midnight. The festival begins solemnly today while the shrines make ceremonies to the gods as it followed by traditional activities to purify mind, body, and soul. Getting ablution on Friday, devotees will hold mah song (spirit medium) at Tae Gun Tae Shrine in Baan Pasak, Thalang. This ceremony will lead participants to bathe in hot oil from 8PM.

In the same time Choor Su Goong Naka Shrine devotees in southern side of Phuket Town will soak in hot water. On Sunday devotees will climb sharp ladders at Bangkoo Shrine from 7:45PM. Other devotees will hold fire ceremony at Tha Reua, Yokkekeng and Jang Ong Shrine (in front of Vachira Phuket Hospital) from 8 PM; at the Tae Gun Shrine in Baan Nabon, Wichit, from 8:30pm; and at Sui Boon Tong Shrine (also called “Lor Rong Shrine”) and Sapam Shrinefrom 9pm. The climbing sharp ladders will continue on Monday (October 3rd) at at Cherng Talay Shrine from 7:59pm; at Bang Neow Shrine and the Lim Hu Tai Su Shrine in Samkong from 8pm; at Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine in Baan Pasak from 8:30pm; and at Bangkoo Shrine from 8:45pm.

Family oriented ceremony will hold in Tha Reua Shrine on 8:45PM. After the oil bath, a ceremony will continue with the tie of blessed strings to children’s wrists as purifying mark. Another “bridge crossing” will emphasize this purification at Sapam Shrine and Jang Ong Shrine on 8pm. Devotees at Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine in Baan Pasak, Thalang will soak in hot oil on 8:30PM. This festival will continue on October 4th with bridge crossing ceremony at Jui Tui Shrine at 8:09pm and sharp ladder climbing at Jang Ong Shrine on 8pm. The corporate Bang Neow Shrine, Lim Hu Tai Su Shrine in Samkong, Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine in Baan Pasak and Gim Su Ong Shrine will perform fire walking on 8PM while Cherng Talay Shrine at 8:09pm and Bangkoo Shrine at 8:30pm. The final round of the festival will be on October 5th when prayers holding farewell to the gods before a massive bonfire at Saphan Hin on 11:45PM. Then it closed by rousing fireworks at midnight. The shrines will clean up on October 6th, go teng poles need to perform the return of gods to the heaven until next year.

News by Phuket Gazette