Kathina Day 2008

This year's event was a little different from the event of the past few years.

Reached the temple to have some food for breakfast after offering joss sticks to the Buddhas. The breakfast today was of a little more variety. There were beancurd, soya milk, "youtiao" and red bean soup. All are quite tasty though. The beancurd is not too smashed and the red bean soup is not too thick. I don't usually like to take red bean soup due to the presence of "sand". There isn't much "sand" in this red bean soup though. Nice Nice. Here's a picture!



After eating is going around to kowtow to the Buddhas. It was to be done before eating breakfast initially. As I need to answer a very urgent nature's call, I have to do that after breakfast as it was the time to eat after I answered the "call". Haha. This is the first time that I use the toilet there.

It was then followed by the mass chantings. I can't hear many of the terms clearly as the loud speaker was quite soft today. After the first part of the chantings was the presentation of the "kasa" to the monks. I didn't manage to take the pictures of the special packages. Those are the relatively more expensive ones. After that was the continuation of some chantings. The emcee said that we have to put our right hand on the shoulder of someone else. This is the first time that I attend the celebration with this additional "programme". The emcee said that this is called the "transferring of merits". I don't get what this mean though. Anyway, after this programme, the whole session was ended with the spraying of the holy water.

While waiting for the holy water to be sprayed, I heard clappings and beats of drum. My eyes lit up immediately. The Thailand workers has arrived! Haha! I laughed till some people are looking at me. There were not as much workers that turned up today though. These Thailand workers would come to the temple with a "money tree", sing and clap while walking three rounds around the temple. The first time that I saw this was done with very high-spirits as compared to this year's. Still quite fun la. I really hope that I can join them. Haha. Here's the person carrying the "money tree" around.



The "tree" is quite tall. It looks heavy though. Those people behind were part of the Thailand workers team. The drummer was behind. His drum was actually the plastic container of the paint. Haha. Creative.

It's lunchtime after we got sprayed by the holy water and the chantings were finished. It's vegetarian. Not much variety as compared to the past few years though. I didn't ate much of the "main course" as I don't have an appetite. Ate two tasty "Ang Ku Kuehs" though. Quite sweet, suits people like me who have a sweet tooth.