What a time we had on our return visit to Trang...some images have been impressed on us that won't ever be erased. A 'Vegetarian Festival', generally arouses thoughts of health and well being, rather than self mutilation, but it was extreme examples of the latter that surrounded us in Trang during this event.
The Vegetarian Festival takes place annually, during 9 days in September / October ( the date is determined by the lunar calander ). It centres around 2 Chinese temples in Trang, where people gather day and night, dressed all in white, to display their abstention from consuming meat and alcohol, having sex, telling lies and killing. Menstruating or pregnant women, or those in mourning, cannot attend.
It is a hive of activity, with make-shift restaurants providing free vegetarian fare ( see LAM Bits ); hawkers selling noisy dragon toys, virgin parades, Chinese dragon dances and riviting displays by those under the influence of the gods - all set to a deafening soundtrack of constant firecrackers and drum beats ( the noise is believed to drive away evil spirits ). (See 3 Little Pigs to Market ).
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