Skip to main content

The Nine Emperor Gods’ Festival

A back-dated post.
It was the most awaited festival of all for devotees of Nine Emperor Gods. Devotees celebrate the nine-day festival with a strict vegetarian diet. One reason why they are so popular is its magical power of answering prayers and grant wishes.

I have heard of its power since young but only recently have I had the opportunity to visit the temple. I decided to drag my family along to visit one famous Nine Emperor Gods Temple in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

We arrived at the temple in the afternoon. It was a gloomy day, the sky filled with ashes burnt from paper money nearby. I could hear birds chirping in cages. I saw a man with one blind eye directing cars to parking lots, another man who had one leg longer then another crossing the road in a clumsy way. There were beggers near the entrance asking for money. We passed through a long narrow passage that filled with stores selling beautiful cakes in the shape of tortoises embellished with Chinese best wishes words. There were also cookies, flowers, paper money, joss sticks, multicolour spinning fans and many more shiny blinking goodies. We bought some fancy cakes, joss sticks and paper money before heading for prayers.

The temple was choked-full with devotees. My husband and I had to take turn to pray so that one of us could keep an eye on bb, our son. I had to lift my joss sticks high up to avoid hurting people. The floor was extremely dirty. Unbelievably, some devotees dumped paper bags, joss sticks, rubber bands on the floor even though there were wastebaskets nearby. There were a few aunties with white outfits cleaning them with huge brooms. I had to watch out and skip away from them or they would swipe me like rubbish too. It was quite chaotic.

Frankly, I had no idea how to perform the proper prayers, I pray as usual telling the Nine Emperor Gods what I need him to help me with, in return I will be a nine full-day pure vegetarian. While praying around the temple, it started to drizzle. I quickly finished up with the joss sticks and headed to burn the paper money in a humongous cement hut. On the way there, many tea sellers approached me saying how good their teas are, one will find peace and safety if one drinks them. Wow! They cost RM5 for a tiny packet. I know all of them were there to make use of the occasion. I rejected their offer politely.

Later, we had our vegetarian fried Hokkien Mee( Fried thick noodle) and soya bean milk in a restaurant located inside the temple. It was very exhausting as there were charity organizations asking for money while we ate. We headed home after the meal. Bb was tired; he dozed off after having his feed in the car.

I have asked for something related to my career but it never happen instead something related to family came true pula. Not sure if my hubby asked for that or not. *Wondering*

Comments

geeth said…
Sounds intereasting.. All that walking and adventure made BB real tired huh ;)
Sasha Tan said…
Big Baby wished for a smaller baby...and it happened
LHS said…
Don't worry, maybe God found that it is not a time yet for highlighting the path of your career, do wait..
ZMM said…
So fast come true already?

Why some of these people so called devotees or pios people can do such uncivilised things such as throwing rubbish on the floor? Aisay.
Allyfeel said…
geetha,
Ya... a lil chaotic though.

sasha,
haha, I asked him, he said he never wished for that wor.

huisia,
I hope so. :)

Zara's mama,
I really have no idea at all. I hate people who litter.

Popular posts from this blog

What is the stingiest animal on earth?

The other day, hubby came home and asked me the following: Hubs: Do you know what animal on earth is the stingiest (Stingy- kiam siap in Hokkien) creature? Me: Err…dun know la…what? Hubs: Dun know meh, think la… Me: Err…still dun know Hubs: It’s horse lor Me: Why eh? Hubs: Because when they run, it sounds like (Kedekut, kedekut, kedekut- Malay) Me: Hahaha! Lidat also can.

Dinner. Stranger.

LAST NIGHT was MIL’s birthday. We went for a simple dinner at Mt. Kiara, a Taiwanese restaurant. Bb was excited to be out as usual, trying to show off how to operate his Bob the Builder’s bottle to uncle Jo, Bil. He has been sipping water from that bottle ever since daddy purchased it, which is good, no more bottles in public. He also created rapport with waiter and waitresses there. There was a fat uncle got so fond of him and present-ed him a chopstick holder. (Like that also can. Hah!) Bb showed it to me, it was in the shape of a Japanese koi fish. I told him to return it to uncle, Sri told me he returned but uncle insisted he kept it. UR! Okay! “Well, then you can keep it” I told him. Later, he came to me telling he was scared. I asked him why, he told me the BIG BIG uncle scary. Actually according to Sri, that uncle wanted to carry him, he got scared. Mil told me this - Once a stranger offer to carry bb, he wanted to go with stranger, mil threatened him that if he goes, he will ne

Update

Gosh! He is still crying after 2 weeks. I spoke to my sister a couple of days ago telling her my concern over bb’s behaviour. When ask by daddy or mil whether he cries in school; bb’s answer is always “NO! I never cry”, uttered with confidence. In fact, he cries furiously when I drop him to school daily. His excuses before leaving with the teacher are either, “I want to go back or I want mommy or I want my kakak…”. Sis told me to boil an egg and keep it in his school bag; he will be okay in 2 weeks. Err…I have no idea why, it was a myth she heard from elder woman to soothes kids from crying to school. Has anyone heard of this tale before? Does it work was my immediate question to her. Well obviously, she said it worked for her 3rd child. I am very doubtful la but still I asked Sri to boiled one this morning for bb to bring to school. I am keeping my fingers cross. *counting- 1,2 3, 4, 5….eggs need to be boiled b4 he stops crying, wah, who is gonna eat those eggs???* Of late, I have bee