The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is Coming!

(Update 8th October) - photos are online:

• Phuket Vegetarian Festival Photos 2008

One of my favourite times of year is nearly here! The Phuket Vegetarian Festival starts on September 28th this year. The date is based on the Chinese lunar calendar and varies year to year (last year the festival started on October 11th) - this year is a bit early and I hope the weather holds, as late September/early October has a habit of being rather grotty.

This is a spectacular, gruesome, fascinating festival. There is so much to see, some interesting food to sample, a real sense of history and tradition that many people do not realise exists in Phuket (hey, it's not all beaches, you know!). Over the last couple of years I have tried to see as much as possible, and this year plan to take a week off work in order to better experience the full range of festival happenings. Last year I was in Phuket Town twice for the famous processions which take place this year every morning from the 1st to 7th of October. This is where you see the pierced faces, the purification by pain. The festival is all about purfication of the body.



If you are in Phuket between September 28th and October 7th, please try to see something of this festival. The processions are in the morning starting 7am. Getting up early will be rewarded by an experience of something extreme.



More Photos:

Phuket Vegetarian Festival Photos 2007
Phuket Vegetarian Festival Photos 2006


Phuket Vegetarian Festival Schedule 2008

Street Processions in Phuket Town - Try to see one!

October 1st Sapam Shrine
October 2nd Samkong Shrine
October 3rd Ban Tha Rue Shrine
October 4th Bang Neow Shrine & Cherng Thalay Shrine
October 5th Jui Tui Shrine
October 6th Kathu Shrine & Yokkekeng Shrine
October 7th Sui Boon Tong Shrine


28th September

ALL SHRINES
17:00 Lantern Pole Raising - the pole is how the gods descend to earth. I intend to be at our local shrine for this if possible!
21 - 24:00 Jade Emperor & Nine Emperor Gods Propitiation

Note: (I had to look it up) Propitiation = the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity)

29th - 30th September

Not much goes on for the first couple of days - Gods are worshipped morning and evening. Visit a shrine for a real other-world experience. Eat some of the variety of Vegetarian ("Jae") food on offer all over Phuket (especially near the shrines, but you can even find it in Patong).


1st October

KATHU SHRINE
05:00 / 18:00 Worship of Gods
16:00 Warriors Propitiation
16:30 Food Offering to Warriors
19:30 Birth-Death Gods Propitiation

JUI TUI SHRINE
19:30 Food Offering to Warriors
20:45 Birth-Death Gods Propitiation

BANG NEOW SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors

SUI BOON TONG SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Worship of Gods

SAMKONG SHRINE
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Propitiation of Seven Stars

BAN THA RUE SHRINE
17:30 Food Offering to Warriors
18:30 Birth-Death Gods Propitiation

CHERNG THALAY SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
15:30 Blessing Bang Tao Village
19:00 Worship of Gods

YOKKEKENG SHRINE
15:30 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Birth-Death Gods Propitiation at Koh Sirey Beach

SAPAM SHRINE
07:00 Street Procession in Phuket town
15:45 Food Offering to Warriors


2nd October

KATHU SHRINE
05:00 / 18:00 Worship of Gods

JUI TUI SHRINE
Worship of Gods and Spirit Propitiation of Past Participants of the Vegetarian Festival

BANG NEOW SHRINE
Spirit Propitiation of Past Participants of the Vegetarian Festival

SUI BOON TONG SHRINE
20:00 Worship of Gods

SAMKONG SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
07:19 Street Procession in Phuket Town
12:00 Worship of Gods
18:00 Worship of Gods

BAN THA RUE SHRINE
12:00 / 19:30 Worship of Gods

CHERNG THALAY SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
15:30 Blessing Manik and Cherng Thalay Villages
19:00 Worship of Gods

YOKKEKENG SHRINE
07:30 Worship of Gods
20:00 Worship of Gods

SAPAM SHRINE
Worship of Gods



3rd October

KATHU SHRINE
05:00 / 18:00 Worship of Gods
19:00 Oil Bathing & Bladed - Ladder Climbing - You can count on me being here for this!

JUI TUI SHRINE
Worship of Gods

BANG NEOW SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Propitiation of Seven Stars

SUI BOON TONG SHRINE
20:00 Worship of Gods
24:00 Propitiation of Gods

SAMKONG SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods

BAN THA RUE SHRINE
07:30 Street Procession in Phuket Town

CHERNG THALAY SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
20:09 Propitiation of Seven Stars
23:00 Worship of Gods

YOKKEKENG SHRINE
07:30 Worship of Gods
20:00 Worship of Gods

SAPAM SHRINE
19:00 Street Procession in Sapam Village


4th October

KATHU SHRINE
05:00 Worship of Gods
16:00 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods

JUI TUI SHRINE
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
20:09 Fire Walking at Saphan Hin - I gotta see some fire walking this year!

BANG NEOW SHRINE
07:00 Street Procession in Phuket Town
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors

SUI BOON TONG SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
19:00 Worship of Gods
21:00 Fire Walking

SAMKONG SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods

BAN THA RUE SHRINE
17:00 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Fire Walking at Shrine

CHERNG THALAY SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
07:30 Street Procession in Thalang District
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
19:30 Worship of Gods
21:30 Random Selection to Find Servants to Priests in the Next Vegetarian Festival

YOKKEKENG SHRINE
07:30 Worship of Gods
15:30 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Fire Walking at Shrine

SAPAM SHRINE
15:30 Food Offering to Warriors
21:00 Fire Walking at Shrine



5th October

KATHU SHRINE
05:00 Worship of Gods
16:00 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods
19:00 Propitiation of Seven Stars

JUI TUI SHRINE
08:00 Street Procession in Phuket Town
21:09 Propitiation of Seven Stars

BANG NEOW SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Bladed-Ladder Climbing

SAMKONG SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods
20:00 Bladed - Ladder Climbing

SUI BOON TONG SHRINE
19:00 Worship of Gods
21:00 Propitiation of Seven Stars

BAN THA RUE SHRINE
20:00 Propitiation of Seven Stars
20:45 Oil Bathing, Tying Children's Wrist

CHERNG THALAY SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
19:59 Bladed-Ladder Climbing
23:00 Worship of Gods

YOKKEKENG SHRINE
20:00 Propitiation of Seven Stars

SAPAM SHRINE
20:00 Propitiation of Seven Stars
20:00 Nail Bridge Crossing; Oil Bathing


6th October

KATHU SHRINE
05:00 Worship of Gods
07:00 Street Procession in Phuket Town - See you there! This is my local shrine - they walk from Kathu Shrine to town (about 4km) before parading in the town.
12:00 Worship of Gods
16:00 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods

JUI TUI SHRINE
20:09 Bridge Crossing for Purification

BANG NEOW SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Fire Walking at Shrine
22:00 Random Selection to Find Servants to Priests in the Next Vegetarian Festival

SUI BOON TONG SHRINE
20:00 Food Offering to Warriors
24:00 Propitiation of Gods

SAMKONG SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods
20:00 Fire Walking at Shrine

BAN THA RUE SHRINE
18:30 Street Procession in Thalang District

CHERNG THALAY SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
20:09 Fire Walking at Shrine
21:30 Worship of Gods

YOKKEKENG SHRINE
07:00 Street Procession in Phuket Town

SAPAM SHRINE
Worship of Gods



7th October

KATHU SHRINE
05:00 Worship of Gods
09:30 Random Selection to Find Servants to Priests in the Next Vegetarian Festival
15:00 Fire Walking at Shrine - I gotta see this!
16:00 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Worship of Gods
19:30 Bridge Crossing for Purification
24:00 Siva & Nine Emperor Gods and Birth-Death Gods Farewell

JUI TUI SHRINE
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
23:09 Siva Farewell
23:45 Nine Emperor Gods Farewell at Saphanhin

BANG NEOW SHRINE
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
18:00 Bridge Crossing for Purification
22:00 Siva & Nine Emperor Gods Farewell

SUI BOON TONG SHRINE
07:00 Street Procession in Phuket Town
20:00 Worship of Gods
21:00 Bridge Crossing for Purification
24:00 Siva & Nine Emperor Gods Farewell

SAMKONG SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
15:09 Food Offering to Warriors
19:00 Bridge Crossing for Purification
23:09 Siva Farewell
24:00 Nine Emperor Gods Farewell at Saphanhin

BAN THA RUE SHRINE
17:30 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Bridge Crossing for Purification and Siva & Nine Emperor Gods Farewell at Nai Yang Beach

CHERNG THALAY SHRINE
05:30 Worship of Gods
15:00 Food Offering to Warriors
18:30 Bridge Crossing for Purification
21:30 Siva Farewell
22:09 Nine Emperor Gods Farewell at Surin Beach

YOKKEKENG SHRINE
07:30 Worship of Gods
15:30 Food Offering to Warriors
20:00 Bridge Crossing for Purification
22:30 Siva Farewell
24:00 Nine Emperor Gods Farewell at Koh Sirey Beach

SAPAM SHRINE
19:45 Bridge Crossing for Purification
22:45 Siva & Nine Emperor Gods Farewell


8th October

ALL SHRINES
15 - 17:00 Lantern Pole Lowering & Warriors Farewell

After all this, a steak and a bottle of Chilean Cabernet. Hope the schedule is useful. For more vegetarian festival info see PhuketVegetarian.com. I hope to catch some of the other events this year - the fire walking, the bladed ladders, oil bathing, along with a couple of the incredible street processions.