Phuket Vegetarian Festival blasts into 2011

Among the VIPs joining Kathu Mayor Chai-anan Sutthikul in declaring the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2011 officially open at the Kathu Shrine – the "original home" of the Vegetarian Festival – were Culture Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Prarop Laovanich and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Phrompong Nopparit.

Fireworks lit up the sky and lion dancers paraded in celebration of the return of the annual festival.

At midnight, nine lanterns were hung from each go teng pole at participating shrines to mark the traditional start of the nine-day festival.

The festivities begin in earnest today, with most shrines observing at least two days of prayers and ceremonies to make offerings to the gods, ahead of a full schedule of traditional activities to invoke purification of the mind, body and soul.

First to get ablutions underway on Friday will be devotees, called mah song (“spirit mediums”), at Tae Gun Tae Shrine in Baan Pasak, Thalang, where participants will bathe in hot oil from 8pm.

At the same time, devotees at Choor Su Goong Naka Shrine, south of Phuket Town, will bathe in hot water.

With purification by liquid complete, the true testaments of faith follow on the program.

On Sunday, devotees will climb bladed ladders at Bangkoo Shrine from 7:45pm. Other devotees will walk through fire at Tha Reua, Yokkekeng and Jang Ong Shrine (opposite Vachira Phuket Hospital) from 8pm; 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 Shrine from 9pm.

The climbing of knife ladders will continue on Monday (October 3) 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.

Read more from Phuket Gazette...