The lively yet spiritual procession saw devotees carry sacred Buddha images and palanquins through the city streets, spreading incense smoke and blessings from Saphan Hin back to their home shrines. Along the route, locals set up altars, lit incense and firecrackers, and prayed for good fortune, health and success.
Starting early in the morning, the procession moved from the shrines along Thepkrasattri Rd toward Phuket Town, continuing along Phuket Rd to Saphan Hin, where a central ritual was performed. From the tip of Saphan Hin Cape, the procession then made its way back along various streets to the shrines.
As with every year, the event combined devotion with spectacular displays of faith. The ‘Tai Pi’ (small palanquins) carried images of various deities, while the ‘Ta Lian’ (large palanquins) carried the highly revered deity Kiew Ong Tai Te. Spirit mediums ‒ both men and women ‒ took part in acts of self-mortification, piercing their cheeks and bodies with sharp objects such as blessed knives, swords and sacred skewers, symbolising their sacrifice to absorb misfortune on behalf of others.
Spectators, many of them tourists, crowded along the roadsides, recording the vibrant scenes and centuries-old rituals that have been passed down through generations.
Tomorrow (Oct 24), the festival will continue with the Iw Keng procession from Lim Hu Tai Su Shrine, also known as Sam Kong Shrine, in Phuket Town ‒ another major event in the island’s week-long celebration of devotion, purity, and blessing.
For the full schedule of Phuket Vegetarian Festival street processions and events, click here.