As the only mosque at the top of Penang Hill, the old Penang Hill Mosque (or Masjid Bukit Bendera) serves as the the ‘highest’ Muslim place of worship for the local community there.
Note: Today marks the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, a festive holiday season celebrated by all Muslims here. Therefore, to all Muslims out there, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!
Old shops selling traditional Chinese prayer items such as joss sticks and joss papers at Stewart Lane, George Town. These shops are located conveniently beside the Kuan Yin Teng Temple.
Today marks the birthday of the Jade Emperor deity.
During the Chinese New Year’s 15-days period in Penang, the celebration for the birthday of the Jade Emperor will fall on the 9th lunar day of Chinese New Year. This day is particularly celebrated a lot by the Hokkien community in Penang and is also commonly referred to as the Hokkien New Year. There will be lots of prayers, food offerings and various festivities held for the Jade Emperor on this day. Two popular areas in Penang where this day is celebrated are the Jade Emperor Pavilion temple at Ayer Itam and the Clan Jetties area at Weld Quay, George Town.
The 8.3 meters tall effigy of the King of Hades (or Tai Su Yeah) where devotees offered prayers to, during the 7th lunar month of the Chinese calendar in conjunction with The Hungry Ghost month.
This giant effigy was placed under a shelter beside a temple at Market Street of Bukit Mertajam old town, for 15 days until the annual Bukit Mertajam Phor Thor (Hungry Ghost Festival) celebration. The effigy will then be moved out to the street and burned on the festival day.
According to the Taoist belief, when the gates of hell open in the 7th lunar month, spirits would be freed to the living world while being watched by Tai Su Yeah. The Hungry Ghost Festival this year started from August 14 until September 12.
A photo of an old roadside stall selling joss sticks and other traditional Chinese prayer materials. Joss sticks are a type of incense typically used for prayers in a Chinese temple. This stall is just one of the several lining up along the Stewart Lane side of the old Kuan Yin Temple.
The Penang State Mosque on a beautiful evening.
The Chinese Hokkien community would be celebrating the birthday of the Jade Emperor, or Thnee Kong Seh, today at 12am — the ninth day of the Chinese lunar calendar. As the clock strikes 12 midnight, the celebration would be kicking off with prayers often accompanied by the sound of firecrackers and offerings to the Jade Emperor. For the local Hokkiens here, this day is in fact celebrated even more extravagantly than the first day of Chinese New Year and is also known as the Hokkien New Year.