All set to dazzle

All set to dazzle

BRIGHTLY-LIT giant ‘rabbit’ decorations are set to lead visitors from the foothill to the 120-year-old Kek Lok Si temple in Penang to celebrate the coming Chinese New Year.

Framed with LED bulb wirings on lamp posts, they will burst into an array of rainbow colours when they are switched on during the annual lighting ceremony at 7pm tomorrow to usher in the Lunar Year of the Rabbit.

The ‘rabbit’ fixtures — along with 12,000 red and yellow lanterns and some 250,000 decoratives bulbs — will be a sight to behold at night as they will remain lighted up until March 2.

Temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said they were using LED bulb decorations for the first time to enhance the overall effects.

“We have made some changes by switching from normal light bulbs to LED bulbs to follow the trend,” he said in an interview.

Visitors to the temple will, however, have to wait until Feb 2 — the eve of Chinese New Year — for the lighting up of the 20-storey octagonal pavilion which shelters the 30.2m bronze Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) statue.

Ooi said the pavilion would be lighted up for three days only.

He also reminded visitors not to go to the temple at night before Chinese New Year to admire the lightings as the temple would only be opened to visitors from the first day onwards.

“Please bear that in mind because we don’t want visitors to be disappointed.

“As usual, the whole temple would be illuminated from 7pm to 7am during the three nights from Chinese New Year’s eve,” he said.

A check at the temple showed that workers were busy fixing cables to put up the lanterns and colourful decorations.

Like in previous years, devotees can donate between RM50 and RM150 per lantern which are for the temple’s upkeep. For details, call 04-828 3317.

-News courtesy of The Star-