Phuket Vegetaria Festival 2009

[angiud]

I will go Phuket to see the Vegetarian Festival. AFAIK the happening will start the 18th october.

Which day will be the best to see.

Could I have problem to find accomodation for that days?

Thank you in advance for your inputs

[mrjohn]

http://www.phuketvegetarian.com/index_eg.htm is the official website.

Details of the various ceremonies and rituals are given, just click on the dates. Bladed-Ladder Climbing is particularly spectacular and the last night procession is not to be missed! Take plenty of cotton wool to stuff in your ears.

[paulfromphuket]

Oh god it's back around again!

What is it with having a vegitarian festival and the making people human skewers.

I will try to avoid it as much as possible.

[KarenBravo]

It's based on a Hokkien legend (hello Diane )

[LivinLOS]

Also curious.. If you had to pick one or two days / events, and wanted to see the most extreme of the piercing / firewalking / ladder climbing / fireworks / etc..

Does anyone have a top couple of times / days to plan to ??

[tixe]

Also curious.. If you had to pick one or two days / events, and wanted to see the most extreme of the piercing / firewalking / ladder climbing / fireworks / etc..

Does anyone have a top couple of times / days to plan to ??

If I remember correctly, it was THIS COMING THURSDAY or FRIDAY a year ago in the heart of Phuket City at about 8.30 am. We wondered down to the 'clock roundabout' and watched the procession come through. It was truly amazing but not for the faint hearted. Get into the city early, listen for the sound of the procession...you'll find it soon enough. A word of warning though, ride instead of driving - the roads and streets are very hard to get through at these times in a car. Hope this helps.

[LivinginKata]

Monday, October 19, 2009

Phuket Vegetarian Festival Procession Routes

Saturday's pole raising ceremonies at Phuket temples summoned the gods to take part in the Vegetarian Festival. Photograph by Foto Pro Phuket

A map of Phuket City's Chinese shrines, from which ma song processions begin.

PHUKET: Following inaugural ceremonies in Phuket over the weekend to summon Chinese ancestral gods to take part in the island's Vegetarian Festival, Phuket City's Chinese temples are buzzing with activity and shrouded in the smoke from thousands of firecrackers and incense lit throughout the day.

Now that those gods have taken up temporary residence on Phuket in the bodies of believers (possessed warriors called ma song), the ma song will be taking part in piercing rituals and street daily processions and ceremonies until October 26.

For those who wish to witness the ma song processions, or avoid the roads closed off for them, see the schedule below for times and locations.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-10-19

[jdean]

Jui Tui Temple has by far the largest number of participants in their morning parade. The final night of the Festival has no piercings but each temple parades their Gods through the streets of downtown. They are honored by massive numbers of firecrackers thrown at them and hung over them. If there is no wind that night, it is not a place for people with asthma, huge clouds of smoke everywhere. Once the parade is over and the people shed their white garments, it is Party Time!! (to make up for all those other abstentious days).