Happy Cap Go Meh!

 Happy Cap Go Meh!

Today is the day where my hometown celebrates Cap Go Meh! It is a day celebrated on the 15th day of the 1st Lunar Month (hence the name Cap Go = 15th), to celebrate the end of Chinese New Year celebration. Since CNY is celebrated in a span of 15 days.

However, it's been a tradition that the festival is celebrated on the 21st in my hometown. So the folks call it Ji It Meh instead. Nevertheless it was a pretty festive day because the deities' sedans (we call it joli here) got paraded out on the streets around the temple this year as they didn't do it last year. Can you believe it's been 13 (or 14) years since I last participated in the procession? Time flies indeed.

The prayers began at 1 PM. It was raining super heavily then, and the rain got even heavier and gustier as time goes by... So I was a bit worried that the procession might be cancelled. At 4 PM-ish the rain didn't stop but I decided to head over to the temple still. To my surprise, it wasn't raining in the temple area. Whereas in my house it was raining pretty heavily. I was walking on the road following the procession when I met someone I know who was carrying the sedan for one of the deities in the temple called Kongco Han Tan Kong, who is one of the main deities in the temple.

 Taken while I was carrying the sedan.

One of the men who was carrying the sedan asked me to take his turn carrying the sedan and of course, I gladly take the chance! I've been wanting to carry the sedan and join the procession since young. So well today my childhood dream came true! :D Anyway the sedan is very heavy. Like they said, it really feels like someone is sitting inside it. So we take turns carrying it. I was carrying it for a few distance and another man took my place, and so on and forth. Anyway we don't only carry it but we also sway it. I think it's a significance of good fortune and luck.

 End of the procession

I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around and seeing the sights. I left home first because I had a delivery to settle. After that I returned back to the temple for the closing ceremony. So one by one the sedans enter the temple. Once they have been placed there, the idols of the deities are being carried back to the altars one by one. And then some prayers were carried out, and the event came to a close! People were being offered food and cakes, I just love the atmosphere inside. It was really a happy and festive one. I'd love to return next year. And definitely at an earlier time.

 The temple official taking the flowers out
PS: I've never seen the temple so smoky before

Today was definitely an eye-opener for me because... Like I said above it's been close to 14 years since I participated in one. 14 years ago I was a small boy who is shorter than the sedans. I can't even carry them! Hah. So I just stood on the side and watch them go by. Now I'm a young man, and I am pretty glad to be given the opportunity to carry the sedan. I supposed I'm kinda sad that I missed out a whole lot in these 14 years. But then again, what matters now is that I'm back here, and I would love to participate in this every year. To share the happiness and festivity with the people of my hometown.

 People taking turns carrying

Also, one of the things I love about today is the fact that many young people are taking part in this procession. And I feel it is important that we, the younger generation, should continue these traditions and festivities for many more years to come. These festivities are one of the most important things that bind the community together, that bind a city together. I'm not just talking about the Chinese/Buddhist communities here, but everyone. Because today, people regardless of race and religion came together around the temple to share the festivities. 

Alright, it's been a beautiful day. Looking forward to next year's Cap Go Meh already.