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Photography - Phuket Vegetarian Festival
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the origin of the Phuket Vegetarian
Festival
Fasting ceremonies have always been practiced
and are named "Chai" in Tao religion.
In 1825, Phuket was covered with a dense
forest inhabited by tigers and other fierce creatures. The
Chinese people, survivors of the 1809's Birman invasion
as well as Chinese "Hokkien", Suo Thao" and
"Ai Ming", gathered in Nai Tu Village, today named
Kathu, where the Tin mines offer job opportunities. Kathu
was prosperous, counting numerous houses and shops, even
a Chinese opera!
At that time, a mysterious fever was speading
in the villages surrounding Kathu. The opera responsible
noted that the rituals was not made as well as in China.
He decided to set up a fasting ritual with the actors of
the troup. After 9 days of fasting, the disease stopped
and no one in Kathu has been sick.
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However, a Chinese man from Kang-Si thought
that a lot of differences remained, if you compared the
ritual with the way it was done in China. He offered to
go back to China in search of all the sacred statues, items
and healing books. People from Nai Tu collected money to
help him: travel to China and come back shall be a long
way.
One year later, he arrived at the Bang Niao
pier in Phuket: on the 7th day of the ninth lunar month.
He brought back books, talismans, magic formulas, and a
sign to place at the front of the temple. All the people
from Kathu went to welcome him and escort him back to Kathu
in a procession. The Vegetarian festival of Phuket was born.
36000 Gods and specific divinities
protect and take care about each person. In return, it is
only asked to lay flowers on the spirit house all the year.
Once a year, a fast has to be done: in that way, all sins
are pushed away. It is a matter of fact that the diseases
was caused by all the bad actions, weird thought and naughty
behavior. After the fasting period everything was great,
a good feeling spead in the community. These ceremony of
fast, named "Djè Chai" or "troot Djin"
in Phuket, is held on the nine first days of the ninth month
of the Chinese year. The figure 9 is an entirety symbol.
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Here are the 10 commitments to follow during the Festival:
• Cleanliness of the body
• Use special kitchen ustensils only for the festival
• Dress in white or in a very light color
• Behave physically and mentally
• Don't eat: meat, fish, eggs, milk
• No sex
• No alcoholic beverage
• People in mourning should not go to any ceremony
• Pregnant ladies should not go to any ceremony
• Women in their period should not go to any ceremony
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to enlarge them
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Phuket Town, nowadays.
Exept the Muslim community, the entire city follows the
Festival and, if it's possible, the rituals. Everyone
dressed in white, without any bad thought nor violent
behavior. Everyone eats the delicious vegetarian cuisine,
goes to watch the miraculous healing ceremonies, the mortifications,
that are not a display of power but a way to pay for other
people sins. When mediums pierce their cheeks, walk on
fire, beat their back with an axe or climb a razor blades
ladder, it's to take on them all the pain and sorrow,
all misfortune and sadness from the world. Mediums suffer
to make you feel better. Possessed by a god, they don't
feel pain anymore. When a medium comes close to you, good
luck, join your hands as in a prayer and listen carefully:
a God is talking to you...
Each year the TAT
(Tourism Authority of Thailand - click to see their logo)
gives all information about the festival, click on the
link below to locate their office in Phuket Town:
Tourism
Authority of Thailand
Southern office : Region 4
73-75 Phuket Road, Amphoe Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Tél. +66 (0)76 211036, 212213, 217138
Fax. +66 (0)76 213582
The office is open all year round from 8.30 am till
4.30 pm.
Text written by Bobol.
Thanks to Laurence for the photos taken in Patong Beach
and Phuket Town in October 2001.
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