Late at night about three weeks ago, I received a text from a friend telling me that she had gone to a Chinese temple to witness the birthday celebration of its gods. She also proudly included some snapshots.
The following day, I asked her for the name of the temple and location. The poor dear provided me with its website. I decided to go visit this temple today since it's cloudy and the heat shouldn't be too unbearable.
I passed a temple that looked like the snapshot and so I backtracked and asked a passerby if I have come to the right place. He couldn't help me as he doesn't speak English but kindly directed me to the temple office.
A nice office staff called Ms Ng informed that her temple is not the one I am looking for. She told me the name of this temple in Chinese. I speak very little of the language and so this lovely temple shall remain nameless to me.
(Colourful ceiling)
(The temple walls are covered with little statuettes of a deity.)
The website given by my friend is for another temple that is located about a mile away. I have not bothered to correct her yet but I will. This temple is new, beautiful and construction is still in progress. I think it is planning another celebration soon as workmen are putting up of canopies.
Here are some of the snapshots shared by my friend taken on the occasion of some birthday celebration.
Nowadays, it is rare to have opera shows to honour the gods as in the days of old. Instead, it would be singing by temple circuit singers on the ever popular karaoke system. Villagers have little entertainment and many require no invitation to jump onstage to belt out Chinese oldies. The younger population undoubtedly also get their turn on the mic.
