Nine Emperor Gods Send-Off Ceremony
Similar to ten days ago when the Nine Emperor Gods, Goddess Dou Mu and the Legendary Third Prince were received from the Kinta River, the send off ceremony of the deities was a reversed procession, with disciples carrying the deities in sedan chairs from the Tow Boh Keong temple to the bank of Kinta River.
If you remember, the deities arrived via waterways and hence, they returned the same way too.
As disciples knelt down in reverence either with long joss-sticks in hand or with palms together, Taoist masters chanted prayers for some half an hour before the urns with burning flames, of the Nine Emperor Gods and Goddess Dou Mu, were set off into the river.
Disappointingly, unlike the welcome ceremony, this farewell ritual attracted a smaller number of devotees. Perhaps it’s because of the odd time in the morning.
According to Tow Boh Keong Temple’s annual practice, the entourage arrives at the Kinta River by 5.30am, which means the disciples and devotees would have gathered at the temple latest by 5am.
And this concludes the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, also known as Vegetarian Festival in Thailand, for this year. See you again. Next year, same time, same place.
Event: Nine Emperor Gods Send-Off Ceremony
Venue: Kinta River, Ipoh
Date: 3rd October, 2014
Time: 5.30am
for non-Muslims only
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