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Phuket Island is marking the introduction to the annual ceremonial
vegetarian festival now, as flags are put up all around the city. Meanwhile
the Chinese Ruby Goddess or Mazofu has been taken to the Navamind ground in
the city for devotees to pay respect. Leader of the island's 15 shrines
Prasert Fakthongpol said the shrines have had meetings in preparation for
the event and to assure that the proper practices are observed. Meanwhile
the Tourism Authority of Thailand or T.A.T region 4 office Director Suwalai
Pinpradab encourage residents of Phuket and its visitors to join in the
festival by wearing white for all 9 days to purify their minds and bodies
and show the island's unity in observing the ancient festival. The Phuket
Vegetarian Festival is famous for its strict refraining from meat and during
the period the island will offer a great selection of vegetarian dishes.
A colourful event held over a nine day period in late September / early
October, this celebrates the Chinese community's belief that abstinence from
meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese
calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind.
Though the origins of the festival are unclear, it is thought that
perhaps the festival was bought to Phuket by a wandering Chinese opera group
who fell ill with malaria while performing on the island. They decided to
adhere to a strict vegetarian diet and pray to the Nine Emperor Gods who
would ensure purification of the mind and body. On recovery, the people
celebrated by holding a festival that was meant to honour the gods as well
as express the people's happiness at surviving what was, in the nineteenth
century, a fatal illness.
The festival always falls on the first days of the ninth Chinese lunar
month, and for nine days participants observe the following commitments:
- Cleanliness of the body during the festival
- Clean kitchen utensils not to be used by others who do not participate
in the festival
- Wear white during the festival
- Behave physically and mentally
- Avoid eating meat
- Avoid sex
- Avoid alcohol
- People in mourning should not participate
- Pregnant women and menstruating women should not attend ceremonies
One of the most exciting aspects of the festival is the various, (and
sometimes gruesome) ceremonies which are held to invoke the gods.
Firewalking, body piercing and other acts of self mortification undertaken
by participants acting as mediums of the gods, have become more spectacular
and daring as each year goes by. Men and women puncture their cheeks with
various items including knives, skewers and other household items. It is
believed that the Chinese gods will protect such persons from harm, and
little blood or scarring results from such mutilation acts. This is
definitely not recommended for the feint hearted to witness.
The ceremonies of the festival take place in the vicinity of the six
Chinese temples scattered throughout Phuket. The main temple is Jui Tui
Shrine not far from the Fresh Market in Phuket Town. The first event is the
raising of the Lantern Pole, an act that notifies the nine Chinese gods that
the festival is about to begin. The pole is at least ten metres tall and
once erected, celebrants believe that the Hindu god, Shiva, descends
bringing spiritual power to the event.
For the next few days, the local Chinese/Thai community brings their
household gods to the temple, along with offerings of food and drink. It is
assumed that the household gods will benefit from an annual injection of
spiritual energy that fills the temple. Visitors can observe and even
participate in the lighting of joss sticks and candles that are placed
around the various gods.
Usually street processions take place, where visitors can see
participants walking in a trance. Other events include hundreds of local
residents running across a bed of burning coals, or climbing an eight metre
ladder of sharp blades while in trance.
Apart from the visual spectacle of this festival, visitors can partake in
specially prepared vegetarian cuisine made available at street stalls and
markets around the island during this time. The vegetarian dishes are not
easily distinguished from regular dishes - soybean and protein substitute
products are used to replace meat in standard Thai fare and look and taste
uncannily like meat. Look for the yellow flags with red Chinese or Thai
characters to find vegetarian food stalls - and keep your camera handy!!
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