culture Archives - Page 4 of 4

George Town: Temple of the Nine Emperor Gods

This Temple of the Nine Emperor Gods in George Town is reportedly the oldest temple to worship the Nine Emperor Gods in Penang. Established way back in 1840, the temple has since transformed from a small shrine to its current state. It can be found along Cheong Fatt Tze Street. Two other such temples in Penang can be found at Macallum Street and in Butterworth.

Primarily observed by the local Chinese, the Nine Emperor Gods Festival is a 9-days Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. This year’s celebration will kick off today (4th October). During this 9-days period, devotees will be observing a strict vegetarian diet.

Penang Isle: Thaipusam Festival Scenes (II)

“The simplest kavadi is a semicircular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain.”

More scenes can be found HERE.

Penang Isle: Thaipusam Festival Scenes

For these devotees, they were pulling the large chariot for the Hindu goddess Kali via ropes which were hooked to the back of their bodies.

Piercing is very common for the devotees.

For some, it was a family affair.

Ropes with hooks attached at the back of the devotees.

Devotees usually prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting approximately 48 days before Thaipusam.

During this day, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). In Penang, the pilgrimage’s common destination is the Waterfall Hill Temple.

Hindus generally take a vow to offer a kavadi to a deity or god for the purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity.

More scenes can be found HERE.

Thaipusam in Penang

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community annually. In Malaysia, many Hindu devotees generally will flock to the Batu Caves in Selangor or the Waterfall Temple in Penang to celebrate this festival. One of the main highlights of the festival is the kavadi being carried by devotees seeking help from the God Murugan (as shown in the picture above).

Penang Isle: Nine Emperor Gods’ Temple

These few days mark the period of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Penang. Widely observed by Chinese people in Penang during a period of nine days, those who are participating in the festival dress all in white and will have abstinent from eating meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products. The above temple is located at the Macallum Street Ghaut, George Town.

For the larger Nine Emperor Gods temple located in Butterworth, Penang, please go HERE.

Afternoon Prayer at a Penang Chinese Temple

Penang Isle: Pinang Peranakan Mansion

Located at Church Street, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion (formerly known as Hai Kee Chan mansion) was originally the home of Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee, a very prominent figure in Penang. It is an unique heritage mansion built at the end of the 19th century with architectural influence from the Peranakans culture, also known as the Babas and Nyonyas. Though not a Baba himself, Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee incorporated the culture during the building of his mansion due its association with wealth and substance.

The Peranakans are a Chinese community adopting selected ways of the local Malays and later, the colonial British, hence, created a unique lifestyle and customs which had not only left behind a rich legacy of antiques but its cultural influences in Penang. The mansion cum museum is also the house to over 1,000 pieces of antiques and relics of the era as well as a testimony of that time’s eclectic design and architecture.

For more information, one can visit the official site of the mansion at http://www.pinangperanakanmansion.com.my/

Visiting Hours
Monday to Sunday including Public Holidays from 9:30 am to 5 pm
Admission Fee: MYR 10.00

Pinang Peranakan Mansion Exteriors

Penang Isle: A Chinese Procession

The ‘Tua Pek Kong” grand float procession was held by the management of Poh Hock Seah in 2010, the last of such event was held back in 1998. The procession was held once every 12 years (during the Tiger year of the Chinese zodiac).

Tua Pek Kong is one of the pantheon of Malaysian Chinese Gods. It was believed that Tua Pek Kong arrived in Penang 40 years before Francis Light’s arrival.