The Vegetarian Festival

Every year they have a festival in Phuket called the Vegetarian Festival. It originated in 1825 in the community of Kathu where a traveling opera company from China was performing and all became ill. The origins of the illness has traditionally been seen as a  result of misdeeds or straying from spiritual practices but in more recent years it is believed the malady was malaria. Nevertheless, the company believed the treatment was to follow a strict vegetarianism rituals. From that time onward on the first evening of the ninth lunar month, for 9 days celebrations begin. On the first night a long pole is raised at the temples with 9 lanterns lighted to signal the commencement of the festival and at midnight a large fireworks display is made to call upon two gods, Yok Ong Hong Tae and Kiew Ong Tai Tae. On the ninth night there is a very large gathering of all of the temples at Sapahin park where they set off fireworks to send the gods on their way. There are 10 rules for the festival, which I posted on a previous blog that outlines the responsibilities of the devotee's during the festival time. The highlight and spectacle seems mostly in to be in the firecrackers/fireworks and the street processions, of thousands of the faithful dressed in white and escorting people who have pierced their bodies with various items or self mutilate by doing things like licking the end of an axe blade

Vegetarian Festival. Why the blood?

I am getting myself prepared to see the annual vegetarian festival that commences in about 10 days. In our naivitee, we thought this would be a celebration of the vegetarian community. Lots of interesting foods and products all began based. Apparently this is not the case. It is instead a 10 period of time where people practice self mutilation, in an effort to release demons. I am all set to go to do the photography, as I think it will be of real unique interest and spectacle. Clive was looking forward to the evening festivals, where they would have great tables laden with food. Apparently, there is not vegetarian food, but with all Thai events there will be plenty to eat. It looks like Gary and I will go to see the body mutilations and Clive and Deb will go for the evening events. Stay tuned for my coverage of this event. In the meantime, this is a link to the events site. http://www.phuketvegetarian.com/index_eg.htm