A divine visit to five temples

A divine visit to five temples

SOME 100 devotees of the Sea Goddess Mazu attended a ceremony in which the Sea Goddess ‘visited’ five selected temples on Penang island.

They were the Tow Boh Keong Temple in Hong Kong Street, Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple (God of Prosperity and Morality) and Lum Yeong Tong Yap Kongsi (consists of adjoining Yap Temple and Choo Chay Keong Temple) in Armenian Street, Chor Soo Keong Temple and Sam Poh Kong Footprint Temple in Batu Maung.

The group was led by the caretaker of the Mazu Temple in Sg Nyior in Butterworth, Wang Siu Tiam, aged 62.

“I have visited several places in Malaysia and found that the Sam Poh Kong Footprint Temple is the only temple with a statue of Ming Dynasty admiral Cheng Ho facing the sea,” he said.

“Cheng Ho is believed to have prayed at Mazu temples each time before embarking on his journeys.

“Devotees who pay homage to Mazu are mainly fishermen or those whose work is related to the sea.

“They would pray to Mazu for the safety of their family members at sea,” he said.

Wang added that he brought Mazu to ‘visit’ the temples because usually, temple deities are only invited out during ceremonial services.

SMJK Phor Tay student Teoh Kai Xin, 16, said she was glad to be given the the opportunity to carry the Mazu statue at the Sam Poh Kong Footprint Temple.

“I pray to the goddess to help me in my studies. I hope my prayer comes true,” she said.

Her cousin Phang Ni Wei, 24, said she too paid homage to Mazu.

Phang, a personal assistant in an insurance company, lives in Batu Maung and her family members are mostly fishermen.

Two lion dance troupes led the crowd of devotees towards the Sam Poh Kong Footprint Temple where firecrackers were let off.

After ‘visiting’ the temple, Mazu was taken onboard a fishing boat back to the Mazu Temple in Butterworth.

~News courtesy of The Star~