Celebrations throughout the year…
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year falls on 31st of January in year 2014. It’s is the most important traditional celebration by the Chinese. It’s also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival. It’s also a time to honour one’s elders and families visits the oldest and most senior member of their extended family. Members of family who are married will give red packets a.k.a. ang pau containing cash to junior members of family.
The Chinese pray for a prosperous new year by lighting the first incense of the year in temples.
The Chinese Traditional Dragon and Lion Dance were often performed during Chinese New Year Festival. The Chinese believe that loud beats of the drum and the deafening sound of cymbals together with the faces of dragon and lion can evict bad and evil spirits.
Thaipusam
Thaipusam is falls on 17 of January on year 2014. It’s a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by Tamil community on the full moon in Tamil month. On the day of festival, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion.
Devotees engaging in various acts of devotion, carrying different type of kavadi (burdens). Mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue, or cheek with vel skewer.
Qing Ming Festival
Qing Ming Festival falls on 5th of April in year 2014. It’s is when Chinese people visit the graves or burial grounds of their ancestors. This is a celebrants to remember and honour their ancestors, also an opportunity for big family members to gather at graves sites.
The people sweep and clean the tomb at grave site before praying.
The favourite food and drinks of the ancestors were offered during the prayers. The family members pray and supplicate to the ancestors during the ceremony.
Wesak Day
Wesak Day is falls on 13th May in year 2014. It’s a traditional holy day for Buddhists in many countries. On the day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate events of significance to Buddhists of traditions of the birth, enlightenment and the passing away of Gautama Buddha.
Devout Buddisht assemble, devotees bring along flower and candles to lay at the feet of the Gautama Buddha.
Significance of Bathing the Buddha ceremony.
Duan Wu Festival
Duan Wu festival falls on 2nd June in year 2014. It’s is also known as Dragon Boat Festival. This festival is the commemorate of the suicide in 278 BCE of Qu Yan, poet and statesman of Chu Kingdom during the Warring States period. The focus of celebrations includes eating rice dumpling Zong Zi, and racing dragon boats.
The dragon boat are rigged with decorative Chinese dragon head and tail.
The Chinese traditional home made ZongZi to consume during the festival.
Hungry Ghost Festival
Hungry Ghost Festival also known as Yu Lan, celebrate by the Chinese during the Ghost Month in Chinese calender. In which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors come out from the lower realm. It falls within 27th August to 24 September in year 2014. The Chinese believes that the gate of hell are opened up during this month and ghost are free to roam the earth where they seek food and entertainment. The Chinese offer prayers to their deceased relatives, offer food and drink and burn hell bank notes and other forms of joss paper during the celebration.
Taoist and Buddhist would perform rituals including food offering, burning incenses, and chanting during the festival.
Saint Anne Festival
Saint Anne was the mother of Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition. It’s the celebration of the Feast of St. Anne falls on 26th July each year, however it’s celebrated for 10 days here. Celebrations include a candlelight procession, a nine-day novenaand adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Over 100,000 pilgrims all over Malaysia as well as neighbouring countries gathered here each year for the celebration. Devotees carrying a candle into the church for the pray.
Hari Raya Haji
Hari Raya is falls on 28th August in year 2014. It’s an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Muslims are also encouraged on this day to forgive and forget any differences with others or animosities that may have occurred during the year.
The young send their regards to their parents on the day of Hari Raya.
Cow sacrifice ceremony during Hari Raya.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the Mooncake Festival. It’s falls on the 15th of eight month in Chinese calender during full moon, 8th of September in year 2014. The festival consists of 3 fundamental meanings which are gathering, thanksgiving and praying. The Chinese will decorate their house with lantern and eat mooncake during the festival.
The Chinese lanterns were hang and decorated in corridor of houses during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The Chinese traditional bakery Mooncake eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Deepavali
Deepavali is falls on 23rd October in year 2014. It’s also known as Festival of Light. Deepavali can be translate into “raw of lamp”. Hindus clean their house and keep the clay lamps on overnight during the festival. Both are done to welcome the goddess Lakshmi. Firecrackers are burst to drive away evil spirit. All the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family and friends during the festival.
The Hindus light up the small cay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil.
Dong Zhi Festival
Dong Zhi festival is also known as Winter Solstice. Dong zhi festival is falls on 22nd December in year 2014. It’s a time for family and friends gathering for Chinese. The Chinese will make and eat the tang yuan during the festival.
The Chinese families prepare the tangyuan to eat during the festival which symbolize reunion.
Christmas
Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ which falls on 25th of December each year. It’s a feast central to the Christian Liturgical year. It’s a festival that celebrate worldwide by most of the people including non-Christians.
The Christmas trees, bells, crafts were decorated during Christmas celebration in most of the shopping malls and shops.