Loy Loy Krathong...

วันเพ็ญเดือนสิบสอง
น้ำก็นองเต็มตลิ่ง
เราทั้งหลายชายหญิง
สนุกกันจริงวันลอยกระทง
ลอย ลอยกระทง
ลอย ลอยกระทง
ลอยกระทงกันแล้ว
ขอเชิญน้องแก้วออกมารำวง
รำวงวันลอยกระทง
รำวงวันลอยกระทง
บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ
บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ

wan pen deuan sìp sŏng
náam gôr nong dtem dtà-lìng
rao táng lăai chaai yĭng
sà-nùk gan jing wan loy grà-tong
loy loy loy grà-tong
loy loy loy grà-tong
loy grà-tong gan láew
kŏr chern nóng gâew òk maa ram wong
ram wong wan loy grà-tong
ram wong wan loy grà-tong
bun jà sòng hâi rao sùk jai
bun jà sòng hâi rao sùk jai

The Loy Krathong Festival is celebrated in Thailand on the full moon day of the twelve month in the Thai calendar (usually in mid November). This practice of floating decorated platforms with flowers and candles, has its roots in Brahminical practices and is tied to giving thanks to the water goddess but nowadays are carried out as a general wish and merit making activity. Here in Malaysia, wherever there is a strong Thai community presence, those communities would still practice this with the locals joining in as well in the festivities. Hence in Kelantan, Northern Kedah, Penang and as well as in Kuala Lumpur you can find the Loy Krathong festival being carried out, usually in association with a Thai Buddhist temple. Happy Loy Krathong!!

Welcoming the Nine Emperor Gods @ Ampang

Despite the heavy downpour, the invitation of the Nine Emperor Gods at Ampang Nan Tian Gong temple goes on as usual. The rain did not dampen the spirit and devotion of the devotees, who pushed on to invite the Nine Emperor Gods from the river back to the temple.

Going out to get the Nine Emperor Gods....

The Nine Emperor Gods, being represented by an urn held out of public sight under the royal yellow canopy, was escorted back to the temple with pomp and glory by an entourage of soaking wet and tired mediums, priest and devotees that arrived back at the temple around 9.30pm.

Here come the Nine Emperor Gods... escorting the urn back
to the temple.

The Festival begins at Ampang Nine Emperor Gods Temple

And so it begins, the start of the nine day vegetarian festival at Ampang Nan Tian Gong, with the raising of the lantern pole at midday today (8th Oct 2018). As per tradition, this temple will go out to 'invite' the Nine Emperor Gods from a nearby river later in the evening (7.30pm). Noticeably the temple grounds is filled predominantly with two very significant colours that are associate with this festival, yellow and white.

Yellow is of course the colour of royalty in the East, and hence things associated the Nine Emperor Gods or divinity during this festival would be clad in yellow. The other colour is white, being a symbol of purity (the strict vegetarian diet) or mourning (associated with certain stories of how the festival arose) and hence devout devotees/followers would wear all white including covering the head with a white scarf for the duration of the festival.

Time for Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2018

Yup, it is that time of the year again... the Nine Emperor Gods Festival is starting on the 9th until the 17th of October 2018. Of course the invitation of the Nine Emperor Gods happens on the eve of the festival, which falls on the 8th of October this year. At the Ampang Nine Emperor Gods temple (安邦南天宫九皇爷庙), preparations for the festival has been happening since two weeks ago. So do pop in and join in the festivities if you are nearby.

The View from Above - The Black Virgin Mountain

The Black Virgin Mountain or Núi Bà Đen in Tây Ninh Province of Vietnam is the highest peak in Southern Vietnam. The hill is actually an almost perfect cinder cone of an extinct volcano (which gives it its distinctive shape) and is a popular tourist spot. You can take the gondola up the hill and then opt to take the more exhilarating luge ride back down. The upper gondola station gives you a lovely view of the plains below.

View from the top station of the Núi Bà Đen gondola lift.

Roses are red....@ Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

Roses packed for sale at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Timeless Charm of Bà Thiên Hậu (Thien Hau Temple) in Saigon

If you are in District 5 of of Saigon, do make it a point to see the Thien Hau Temple there. Officially known as Chùa Bà Thiên Hậu (Pagoda of the Lady Heaven Empress aka Mazu), the temple is quintessentially Chinese in architecture. Whilst there are many Mazu temples elsewhere around the world that are bigger, or more grand, this temple is unique as it has that old school charm typical of Chinese diaspora temples.

 

Look at the roof ceramic diorama, the altar decorations and setup, and donation slips being hung in the temple, and you get transported back in time to when the temple was possibly the grandest ever built at that time in that area and was the focal point of the Chinese community in Saigon. Indeed this is one of the many temples that carries the timeless charm of old Saigon, Vietnam.

Nature's Revenge... The Forlorn Remains of Danushkodi's St Anthony Church

The Rameswaram Cyclone of 1964, which is also known as the Danushkodi  Cyclone was responsible for the decimation of the old town of Danushkodi located on the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island, and left in place of a previously flourishing trade post and fishing town between India and Sri Lanka, a sad and forlorn looking ghost town.

The front facade of the church ruins.

One of the iconic ruins that remains till today amidst the seashell and souvenir stalls in this ghost town is the remains of the St Anthony of Padua Church of Danushkodi. Obviously being the patron saint of seafarers and fishermen, a church dedicated to him is sited here on Pamban Island.

Today only the front facade of the church, together with part of the walls and the altar remains after the 1964 disaster. Coupled with the fact that some locals have also been removing bricks from the ruins as construction material for their homes, this has hastened the decline of the remains of the church.

What remains of the interior of the church... the altar and part of the walls

And if you think lighting does not strike the same place twice, well Mother Nature must be a bi@tch; just days following the 40th anniversary of the Cyclone disaster, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami also hit Danushkodi, at first pulling back the sea to reveal submerged portions of the city before slamming the old town of Danushkodi under the waves again!

The irony of this is that St Anthony is also the patron saint of things lost... in the end, it is this church dedicated to him that is lost to Nature. So if you are travelling to Rameswaram or are in the south-eastern part of India, this is a place worth visiting... and reveals the formidable power of Mother Nature.

The Colours of Spring... Chiang Mai Flower Festival

The colours of spring...tulips at Chiang Mai Flower Festival 2018

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival in northern Thailand has been running for more than 40 years, and is held on the first weekend of February every year for three days. Flower decked floats parade through the city on the first Saturday of February whilst the flower displays and agriculture fair goes on for 3 days starting on the Friday of the first weekend of February till Sunday.

Next year in 2019, this festival will be held from 1st - 3rd of February. So do include it in your travel itinerary if you are traveling to Thailand during that time.