As the Hungry Ghost Month for 2020 draws to a close, we bid farewell to the roadside offerings of food and joss paper, and of the taboos of the month... It was indeed a very different celebration this year under the 'New Normal', and I have only managed to see one large Phor Thor at Sunway Mentari (and even that was scaled down) when in previous years, the problem was more of trying to politely decline friends' invitation to see and shoot the Phor Thor in their area.
Of course the best part of a Phor Thor or large Hungry Ghost celebration, besides the prayers, food offerings and trances is the burning of the King of Hades (Da Shi Yeh) to send him and his officials off, together with all the joss paper and spirit tablets of the departed at the end of the celebration. Picture below is the Da Shi Yeh from Sunway Mentari Phor Thor catching fire as they set him alight on the last night of their celebration.
So hopefully next year thing will be back to normal, and we shall be able to attend more large Hungry Ghost Phor Thor celebrations...
