The procession, known as ‘Iu Keng’, featured many spirit mediums and drew large crowds of local residents, as well as Thai and foreign tourists, who lined the streets to witness the event.
Residents along the procession route set up altars and lit firecrackers to welcome the ‘mah song’ spirit mediums. In keeping with tradition, the mediums pierced their cheeks with sharp objects such as swords, iron weapons and even branches, demonstrating their faith.
Other shrines across Phuket, including Kathu Shrine, Bang Neow Shrine and Sapam Shrine last night conducted their own rituals as part of the festival heads towards its final closing ceremony. These included fire-walking and bridge-crossing rituals to ward off bad luck.
This evening, starting at 10pm, the participating shrines will perform the final ceremony of the festival, sending off the deities Yok Hong Song Te and Kiew Hong Tai Te back to the heavens.
Many of the streets in Phuket Town will be dedicated to processions, ablaze with the sounds of firecrackers, from many of the main shrines making their way to Saphan Hin for the final ceremony tonight.
The deities will be symbolically sent off at Saphan Hin, and as the procession leaves, the lights at each shrine will be extinguished, and the gates will be closed, marking the end of the festival.
The final ceremony to conclude the annual Vegetarian Festival will be the lowering of the Go Teng poles at all participating shrines across the island at sunset tomorrow (Oct 12).