The street procession, starting at 6:45am, made its way into Phuket Town honouring the ‘Iu Keng’ ceremony, parading images of the gods through the local community.
The event drew large crowds of both locals and tourists, eager to witness the cultural tradition.
The procession began at Makro Phuket on Wichit Songkhram Rd, and continued into Phuket Town to Saphan Hin. Spectators lined the roads with tables to receive blessings from the mah song. Thai and international tourists alike gathered to experience the atmosphere of the festival, noted an official report of the event.
The mah song, both men and women, engaged in self-mortification rituals, using sharp objects such as knives, swords and iron rods as piercings, a practice believed to take on the misfortunes of festival observers.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, which has its roots in 1825, this year celebrates its 199th year. The festival, which promotes vegetarianism for purification of mind and body, was founded at the Kathu Shrine and remains one of Phuket’s most significant annual events.
Tomorrow (Oct 11), marks the final day of the festival. In the morning, the Lor Rong Shrine will hold a procession through Phuket Town. Then, from 10pm to midnight, shrines participating in the festival will hold the ‘Sending Off’ ceremony, where Kiew Ong Tai Te, the festival’s iconic deity, and the Jade Emperor will be symbolically sent back to heaven at Saphan Hin.