Street procession: Devotees carrying Mazu's statue on a sedan chair.HUNDREDS of devotees gathered at the Sun and Moon Temple in Weld Quay, Penang, for a colourful and lively celebration to mark the 1,051st birthday of the Sea Goddess Mazu.
The beating of drums and echoes of chanting filled the air as the devotees burned joss sticks and offered flowers and fruits to the deity.
Over at a jetty in Butterworth, a group of 120 devotees carried the statue of Mazu to cross the channel to Penang island in 21 speedboats and two fishing boats.
They stopped briefly at the base of the Penang Bridge for the deity to bless the island’s landmark structure.
The entourage then arrived at the Lim jetty temple where waiting devotees proceeded to pay homage to the patron goddess of seafarers, whose statue was recently brought here from a temple in Rawang, Selangor.
Some devotees were seen crawling under the table where Mazu’s statue was placed, in the belief that they would be showered with good luck and blessings.
Tourists and shutterbugs had a field day snapping photographs of the celebration that was replete with dragon dances, puppet shows and firecrackers.
Bigger than life: A character from the Goddess' heavenly retinue walking tall among other devotees during the celebration.
Irmela Bendt, 66, a doctor from Germany, expressed her admiration for the young people who were seen religiously taking part in the ceremony.
She had visited the temple the night before to witness the birthday preparation and found herself captivated by a man in a trance.
“I was impressed with how intense they were and how young people here are so religious,” she said, adding that she was there with her photographer husband.
After the festivities on the island, the statue made its journey back via the ferry to Butterworth on the same day.
Troupe members performing with colourful dragon heads.
It was placed at a makeshift shelter at the jetty and would return to Rawang in a few days’ time.
State executive councillor Lim Hock Seng, who was present at the event yesterday, said the boat procession was the second held since 2004.
He said the goddess’ birthday falls on the 23rd day of the third month according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
“This is a big occasion in Hong Kong and Taiwan but it is not so popular in Malaysia.
“Here, the Lim clan would only offer prayers on her birthday,” he said.
~News courtesy of The Star~
No comments:
Post a Comment