Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
37
Pilgrimage to K usu I sland. D uring
this month-long period, plan your trips
to K usu I sland wisely , as the place
becomes a mob scene. Throughout the
month (the lunar month, that is), Chi-
nese trav el to this small island to visit
the temple ther e and pray for another
year of health and wealth. See chapter 7
for mor e information on K usu. O cto-
ber/November.
Festival of the N ine-Emperor G od.
During this celebration, held o ver the
first 9 days of the ninth month of the
lunar calendar (to the Chinese, the
double nines ar e par ticularly auspi-
cious), temples ar e packed with wor-
shipers, hawkers sell r eligious items
outside, and Chinese operas ar e per-
formed for the N ine-Emperor G od, a
composite of nine former emper ors
who contr ol the pr osperity and health
of worshipers. A t the height of the fes-
tival, priests write pray ers with their
own blood. On the ninth day, the festi-
val closes as the N ine-Emperor G od's
spirit, contained in an urn, is sent to sea
on a small decorated boat. Contact the
STB for information. Late October.
Navarathiri Festival. During this 9-day
festival, H indus make offerings to the
wives of S hiva, Vishnu, and B rahma.
The center point in the ev enings is S ri
Thandayuthapani T emple, where
dances and musical per formances ar e
staged. P erformances begin ar ound
7:30pm. Contact the STB for informa-
tion. Late October/early November.
Deepavali. Hindus and Sikhs celebrate
Deepavali (also called D iwali) as the
first day of their calendar. The new year
is ushered in with ne w clothing, social
feasts, and gatherings. I t's a beautiful
holiday, with H indu temples aglo w
from the tiny earthen candles placed in
crevices in the sides of walls. H indus
believe that the souls of the deceased
come to earth during this time, and the
candles help to light their way back to
heaven. During the celebration, S eran-
goon Road in Little I ndia is a mesmer-
izing display of color ed lights and
decorative ar ches. The dates quoted
earlier in this section are estimates only,
as Hindu officials had not released dates
at the time of writing.
Thimithi Festival. Thimithi begins at
the Sri Perumal Temple in Little I ndia
and makes its way in parade fashion to
the Sri Mariamman Temple in China-
town. Outside the temple, a bed of hot
coals is pr epared and a priest will lead
the way, walking first o ver the coals, to
be followed one at a time b y devotees.
Crowds gather to watch the spectacle,
which begins ar ound 5pm. M ake sur e
you're early so you can find a good spot.
Contact the STB for information. Late
October/early November.
Christmas Light-Up. Orchard Road is
brilliant in bright and color ful streams
of Christmas lights and garlands. All of
the hotels and shopping malls par tici-
pate, dr essed in the usual Christmas
regalia of nativity scenes and S
3
anta
Clauses.
D ECEMBER
Hari Raya Haji. One of the five pillars
of I slam inv olves making a pilgrimage
to Mecca at least once in a lifetime, and
Hari Raya H aji (E id al-A dha) is cele-
brated the day after pilgrims make this
annual v oyage to fulfill their spiritual
promise. Muslims who hav e made the
journey adopt the title of H aji (for
men) and H ajjah (for women). After
morning pray ers, sheep and goats ar e
sacrificed and their meat is distributed
to poor families. In 2009 and 2010, this
holiday falls in November.
Christmas Day. On this day, Christian
Singaporeans celebrate the bir
th of
Christ. December 25.
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