This parade features colorful floats, marching bands, and dancers dressed in traditional costumes. During this time, locals observe a strict vegetarian diet and take part in various religious ceremonies such as processions with ornately decorated floats and firewalking rituals. The festival begins with a parade from each participating temple around the city center. The best place to book a hotel for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival and be near one of the parades would be one of the heritage hotels in Phuket town. . Apart from the visual spectacle of this festival, you can partake in vegetarian dishes, which are sold at street stalls and markets around the island. However, Dou Fu Yuan Jun is invoked alongside Dou Mu Yuan Jun in Great Dipper Honouring known as Li Dou ceremonies. One member of the opera group was then sent back to China to call on the Kiu Ong lah or the Nine Emperor Gods. Phuket Weather What is the best month to visit Phuket? From Thailand, it spread to other South and Southeast Asian countries. Weeks before the Vegetarian Festival events, yellow Chinese flags bloom on every roadside and intersection, especially near Chinese temples. The devotees wear bright and very ornamented outfits, and then you are set for a full week of firecrackers, parades, piercings, and vegetarian food. Train: Although there are no direct trains to Phuket, one can travel on trains going from Bangkok to Singapore and get off at Phun Phin railway station. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival (or Nine Emperor Gods Festival) happens once a year, during the ninth lunar month, and is one of the most auspicious events on Phuket island. Get the latest news, inspiring blog articles, or promotion, Boun Bang Fai - Rocket Festival in Thailand and Laos, Buddhist Lent & Khao Phansa Day in Thailand & Laos, Hmong New Year - The Celebration of Colors, Everything you need to know about Magha Puja (Makha Bucha), All about Royal Ploughing Ceremony in Thailand and Cambodia. Do not eat meat or other animal-based products during the festival. 125 N Broadway Santa Ana, CA. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is commonly celebrated from late September to October and the exact dates can change depending on the lunar calendar of the Chinese. The streets are lined with colorful decorations and flags as people walk through carrying statues of gods or goddesses while chanting prayers and playing music. In Phuket culture, this is considered the most important festival of all. The best place to celebrate Vegetarian Festival in Bangkok is in Chinatown, where youll see rows upon rows of stalls selling all kinds of vegan and vegetarian dishes, many of which feature mock-meat made from non-animal products but look and taste like them. Por Pia Tod Jay () Deep-fried spring rolls. 1.Yu-huang -The Jade Emperor Festivities will be observed in all of Phuket Islands Chinese shrines. Both air-conditioned as well as non-air-conditioned buses are available at different prices. Principles to follow during the festival: Scary photos of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Ten vegetarian food to try during the festival. From the 1800s, well into the 20th century, thousands of migrants from China arrived in Phuket to work in the tin mines and establish merchant Lai Thu Tao Bo Keng is one of the oldest Chinese shrines in Phuket, and many believe it was the birthplace of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival nearly two centuries ago. The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket typically lasts for nine days. Food offerings play an important role during this time too as its believed that offering vegetarian dishes will bring good luck to those who partake in them. We recommend the following websites and resources to help in planning your perfect trip to Thailand. Many streets are closed off to traffic during the festival period so that people can enjoy the festivities without disruption. The BRUTAL Phuket Vegetarian Festival: Not for the faint of heart! Therefore, it is important to come mentally prepared. Jui Tui Shrine is the main temple located in Phuket Old Town. As humans attempt purification using fire, they are actually overcoming their yin and making amends for their sins. To have the best shot of the most gruesome actions on the street, we recommend booking your accommodation in the center of Phuket. The ninth day of the festival is its climax. With our guide, you can find all the best places to stay, eat and enjoy your holiday with ease. 31. Thailands largest island with some of the most popular beaches. According to tradition and belief, the purpose of the vegetarian festival is for participants to obtain peace of mind and good health. Only pure, unmarried men or women without families of their own can become masong. The opera group made a complete recovery and the epidemic ceased. After 5 great years I have decided to shut down VegEvents in order to focus on building All Impact Jobs. Although the Vegetarian Festival can seem like a bizarre carnival, it is still a deeply religious event; show respect and stay out of the way! Apart from the Goddesses, there are brave chinese warriors and young devotees.The best place to book a hotel is near this shrine or any other prominent one. Today, most Nine Emperor God temples do not acknowledge the existence of Dou Fu Yuan Jun. During this festival, people abstain from eating meat and other animal products for nine days as a way to purify their bodies and minds. Held at various locations throughout Phuket Island, this festival offers something for everyone to enjoy whether you are looking for delicious food or thrilling entertainment! It is assumed that the household gods will benefit from an annual injection of spiritual energy that fills the temple. The festival ends just after midnight when the devotees have sent back the Nine Emperor Gods. It takes place at the same time as the Hindu festival Navaratri.[1]. It attracts thousands of tourists annually with most visitors coming from other Asian destinations, especially from China. The Nine Emperor Gods. Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 16:13, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Celebrating Navaratri and the Nine Emperor Gods festival", "When is the best time to visit Thailand? Now lets take a look at accommodation options for your stay in Thailand. Tourists can join in the lighting of candles and joss sticks before they are placed around the household gods. From exploring stunning beaches to taking part in unique cultural activities, there is something for everyone. There's a magic about this charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors. The streets of Phuket island are crowded with the thousands of visitors, mostly from Asia and China, that visit to participate in the festival every year. Discover a different side of Thailand this year book your trip today! Inland Empire IE Vegan Sundays. It is mostly celebrated in South-Eastern Asian countries but particularly in Thailand. Where to Celebrate Your New Year's Eve in Phuket, Xe Champhone Loop - the hidden beauty of central Laos, Cleanliness of the body during the festival, Clean kitchen utensils not to be used by others who do not participate in the festival, Behave correctly, both physically and mentally, People in mourning should not participate, Pregnant women and menstruating women should not attend ceremonies. My dream has been growing bigger and bigger day after day, and I do not miss a chance to make it real. Once the 10-metre-tall pole is erected, celebrants believe that the Hindu god, Shiva, descends to bring spiritual power to the event. Copy Link. Other locations around Phuket also host their own festivities during this time including street markets selling vegetarian food items as well as traditional Thai snacks like grilled bananas or sweet sticky rice cakes filled with coconut milk and sugar. The Nine Emperor Gods should not be mixed up with the Wang Ye or Princes of the Ming loyalists. [12] While in Western cultures dominance is seen as a cherished goal, Schneider observed an unusual appreciation of submission amongst the Ma Song. In 2021 the festival was 5 - 15 October. During this time, locals take part in parades, street processions, temple ceremonies, and food offerings to honor their ancestors. This was to ensure the purification of the mind and body. In 2021 the festival was 5 - 15 October. A carnival-like atmosphere pervades the temple throughout the nine-day festival. The festival culminates with an extravagant procession featuring elaborately decorated floats and participants dressed in white or yellow clothing carrying joss sticks and firecrackers. At the temple during the festival there is also firewalking and blade-ladder climbing. The shrine is located in the subdistrict of Kathu in the islands interior, between Phuket Town and Patong Beach. After arriving at Sapan Hin, there will be various performances such as martial arts demonstrations and music shows. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Buddhist Lent Day (Thailand Wan Khao Phansa, Laos Boun Khao Phansa) is the start of the three-month period during the rainy season when monks are required to remain in a particular place such as a monastery or temple grounds. Ultimately, the goal of the festival is to express the happiness of the people who survived a 19th-century deadly disease and to honour the gods who heeded their call for help. Sign up for our newsletter to receive special offers, news and great events. Bamboo poles are removed from the shrines the following day and safely out back for the next year. Reopening Thailand: Everything you need to know when traveling during covid, Songkran in Bangkok - Sacred Tradition Vs. Crazy Water Fight. 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The local Thai and Chinese community will then bring their offerings of food and drink along with their household gods to the temple in the next few days of the festival. Most devotees stay at the temple, eat vegetarian meals, maintain celibacy and recite continuous chanting of prayer. Even so, most injuries are usually sustained from the indiscriminate use of firecrackers. if(typeof(Boxzilla)!='undefined') {Boxzilla.on('box.show', function(box) { jQuery(".boxzilla input#btnNewsletterJoinUs").bind( "click", p1subscriber_handler ); });} }}); Jui Tui Shrine (Kew Ong) is one of the oldest and most important on Phuket Island. These include invoking the gods through different self-mutilating acts such as body piercing and fire walking. The role of ma song, or spirit mediums, is an integral part of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. What is Nine Emperor Gods Festival? If you go to Soi 20 of Charoen Krung Road, the area is transformed into an event space full of food stalls and fruit sellers. Participants wear white clothing to signify purity while taking part in rituals such as fire-walking and body piercing with metal rods or blades. During the New Year's celebration, Hmong dress in traditional clothing and enjoy Hmong traditional foods, dance, music, bull fights, and other forms of entertainment. The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket is an annual event that takes place over nine days during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. Phuket Town A Walking Guide to Old Phuket Town Rang Hill in Phuket Born in France a long long time ago, I started to travel the world early and never stopped until I settled in Thailand in 1994. There are also direct flights to India, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Germany, among other countries. Various gory spectacles, perilous events and parades taking place, from sword piercings, fire walking, etc The Phuket Vegetarian Festival takes place in the streets of Phuket Town, so visitors can expect to experience a vibrant atmosphere filled with culture and tradition. The Memory at On On Hotel is a real heritage, and a few small guesthouses built on those old Sino Portuguese shophouses are too. Buses from the Southern Bus Terminal of Bangkok to Phuket are the most reliable and convenient way of travelling between the two cities and take up to 13 hours to reach Phuket. Whether you are looking for accommodation or just want to sample some of the local delicacies, make sure you dont miss out on this incredible event! Stages, decorations and parade accessories gather near shrines, and hundreds of food stands are erected nearby. Refrain from sexual activities during the festival. These ceremonies are definitely not for the faint of heart! During this time, devotees observe a strict vegetarian diet and take part in various religious ceremonies to honor the Nine Emperor Gods. From the vibrant street processions to the delicious vegetarian dishes, there is something for everyone at this festival. Devotees and participants see this ceremony as cleansing of their past impurities and a fresh start in life. We believe you have the right to arm yourselves with as much information as possible before making any decision. Unlike other festivals and celebrations, this festival involves a lot of gory scenes besides fireworks and fancy attires. 5.San-kuan Three Officials Where to Experience the Phuket Vegetarian Festival? Tourists can look for yellow-coloured flags with red Thai or Chinese characters to find the stall selling these vegetarian dishes. For this unique occasion, a crowd of devotees assemble in every Chinese shrine around the island, followed by an even bigger horde of photographers avid to get the shot of their life. 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