Hang pi mana? I Go to Penang: “My Malaysia” Photo Series (8) — PART TWO

Kek Lok Si Temple. Penang, 5 February 2019

In Part One, I already told you how important and loved is the Chinese New Year in the city of Penang, it’s capable of illuminating the George Town area with its red lanterns for a whole month.

George Town. Penang, 9 February 2019

 

But the main show is given by the beautiful Kek Lok Si Temple, the Buddhist temple also known as the Temple of Supreme Bliss, considered among the largest in Southeast Asia. Located in the hills at Air Itam, it was built in 1893 whose imposing Rama VI Pagoda is decorated with 10,000 Buddha statues, over seven levels, while the bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy is 30 meters high. By the end of the Chinese New Year, it's completely illuminated by thousands of lights and attracts many tourists and locals: indeed, it's very nice to see Muslim, Hindu and Christian among the halls and steps, a sign that beauty has no religion. (Photo 1)

Although the temple symbol of Chinese celebrations remains the Goddess of Mercy Temple in George Town, the oldest Taoist temple in Penang, built in 1728, and dedicated precisely to Guan Yin, even if at its origins the temple was dedicated to Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, precisely because of its proximity to the sea.

During this period, the temple is animated by continuous processions of faithful who carry prayers and burn incense and candles.

 

Goddess of Mercy Temple, George Town. Penang, 30 January 2019

Goddess of Mercy Temple. George Town. Penang, 5 February 2019

Moving away from the centre, at the end of August, we can instead witness an incredible specific celebration only of the Taoist Buddhists, which has to do with ghosts, and which takes place in Sungai Dua, near the USM University.

The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, Zhongyuan Jie (中元节), Gui Jie (鬼节) or Yulan Festival is a traditional Buddhist and Taoist festival held in certain Asian countries. According to the Chinese calendar, the Ghost Festival is on the 15th night of the seventh month (14th in southern China).

In Chinese culture, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm.

During the evening, incense is burnt in front of the door’s households. Incense stands for prosperity in Chinese culture, so families believe that there is more prosperity in burning more incense. During the festival, some shops are closed as they want to leave the streets open for the ghosts. In the middle of each street stands an altar of incense with fresh fruit and sacrifices displayed on it.

Fourteen days after the festival, to make sure all the hungry ghosts find their way back to hell, people float water lanterns and set them outside their houses. These lanterns are made by setting a lotus flower-shaped lantern on a paper boat. The lanterns are used to direct the ghosts back to the underworld, and when they go out, it symbolizes that they have found their way back.

On the last night, in order for the gates of hell to be closed, a large pyre is made with the remains of the Hungry Ghost, with the prayers and money offered by the faithful, and then set it on fire at midnight and pray for ghosts to bring to the kingdom of the dead prayers and requests to deceased relatives, from those who remained alive.

Hungry Ghost Festival, Sungai Dua. Penang, 29 August 2019

The Chinese celebrations are echoed by the Islamic ones, which are not only limited to the great holidays related to Ramadan, such as Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, but it is also possible to attend, in November, the parade of the various contingents for the celebration linked to the birth of the Prophet, which takes place in Balik Pulau. In the same way as the National Day, also on this day, at the end of the parade, the contingent that best represented this event is chosen.

 

Maulid Nabi. Peringkat Negeri Pulau Pinang, Balik Pulau. Penang, 20 November 2018

While I celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr at the University where I worked, I lived Eid-ul-Adha with the community that lives in Lorong Seri Genting 2 in Balik Pulau, Pondok Upeh. One of the things you immediately learn in Malaysia is the difference between the Masjid and Surau: it's not only in size, the Mosque (Masjid) is larger, usually unique for an area, crowded and aesthetically beautiful, while the Surau is a smaller mosque, without great aesthetic demands, many for each neighbourhood of an area, and meeting place of the neighbourhood that lives there, therefore everyone knows each other, they are neighbours, there is a greater sense of intimacy. Often men spend more time in surau than at home.

During the Sacrifice Festival, the various portions of the sacrificed animals are divided among the inhabitants of the neighbourhood.

Eid-ul-Adha. Lorong Seri Genting 2, Surau Darussalam, 
Taman Pondok Upeh, Balik Pulau. Penang, 11 August 2019

Weddings are also celebrated in mosques. During these years I have seen and photographed many, and for sure I preferred the traditional ones in kampung style, where the groom's family arrives in parade with umbrellas to shelter from the scorching sun to meet the bride's family. I must say that, although always in the scorching sun, in the hottest hours of the day, this moment is what excites me most – called “acara menyambut”.

And I prefer to see the newlyweds in traditional Malaysian clothes, while it is now fashionable to wear, for the bride, the European-style white dress, especially in the upper social classes, as in Dhaka they imitate the Indian Bollywood style instead. It's a pity, you have to be proud of your traditions, it is not the problem that wearing traditional clothes is “too much kampung”, or it lowers the social level, but rather makes you part and structure of a long history.

Young wedding couple, Kampung Syed. Penang, 1 September 2019

But I have to say, that in two years I had never seen the “multiple marriage”, so when they invited me, I didn't hesitate for a moment.

The name was already resounding: 10 Kings in One Day! Wah! A parade of ten couples in the midday sun, after the wedding in the mosque, lined up in front of the Imam and then divided by groups for the official document, with dozens of relatives taking pictures continuously. I still haven't understood how to evaluate it, there were conflicting opinions among the guests of the weddings, when I asked for the meaning of this custom, some people told me that it was once used and now it is rare to see it, and who – cutting it short – he told me that it is done only to save money: ten marriages cost less than one.

However, to see it is really special.

“Walimatul Urus Perdana: Balik Pulau. 10 Pasangan Raja Sehari (10 Kings in a Day)”. Masjid An-Nur Titi Teras, Balik Pulau. Penang, 8 September 2019

In addition to weddings, children's circumcisions are an important moment in the Adat Melayu. I saw one during the celebrations of George Town UNESCO Heritage, organized by the Indian Muslim community, which is the most powerful in George Town and revolves around their mosque: Masjid Kapitan Keling, built in 1801 since the first Indian settlement in Penang.

Circumcision ceremony, George Town. Penang, 7 July 2018

Crossing the road from the Kapitan Keling mosque, you enter Little India, where there is the most famous Hindu temple in Penang: The Sri Maha Mariamman, dedicated to the divinity Sri Muthu Mariamman, revered among the South Indians and Tamil Nadu. It also had the donation of the land in 1801, but its construction dates back to 1833.

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, George Town. Penang, 1 December 2017

We have already spoken separately of Thaipusam, but the Hindu holidays are many during the year, and Deepawali is among the most famous, also considered public holidays in Malaysia. I had a temple right next to my house and I often went there, especially during Shiva Puja, which is celebrated for a month waiting for the big festival of Durga Puja in late October. It often happens to see the faithful who fall into a trance.

Shiva Puja, Sri Krishna Bahavan Alayam Temple, Gelugor. Penang, 29 October 2018

But another truly incredible holiday to see is the Thiruvila which is celebrated in August, where some chosen ones, after a barefoot procession on which milk is poured out as a sign of respect, walk on the burning embers as a sign of devotion to the divinity. Among them there are also faithful who pierce the body as for Thaipusam.

Thiruvila, Sri Veerama Kaliamman Devasthamam Temple, Gelugor. Penang, 9 August 2019

This is just to show how tolerant Penang, and Malaysia, are. Indeed, its beauty lies in the multitude of lives, stories and cultures that move within it. Penang is also one of the cities that welcomes the largest number of Rohingya in this area of ​the world, together with Aceh in Indonesia, also because it is among the most easily accessible places by sea or through Thailand. I have met some Rohingya families since my first experience in Malaysia, thanks to my University which offers a school for their children. At the time, in 2017 there were more than 100,000 Rohingya in Malaysia and 40,000 in Penang alone, the number has certainly increased.

I listened to their stories long before I visited the Rohingya Refugee Camp at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, a few months ago. In my heart I always carry with me the little Shaharuk Khan and his mother, who showed me, one day, the photograph of the brother killed in her village in Myanmar.

Rohingya families, Gelugor. Penang, 3 December 2017

Rohingya families, Gelugor. Penang, 14 June 2018

And it's thinking of those children that I would like to close for now with the beautiful and smiling face of this Kompang Boy, a boy who is part of a traditional music group that often performs during weddings.

Kompang Boy, “Irama Malaysia - Warisan & Budaya”, Butterworth Art Walk. Penang, 20 July 2019

However, before concluding, my last thought goes to a dream that I realized in Penang, namely to know Dato' Siti Nurhaliza, my favorite Malaysian singer that I have been following for over fifteen years. When I learned that she was coming to a concert with the Orkestra Tradisional Malaysia in Penang, I did not exist for a moment, and even when, at the end of the concert, they told me that I could not go to meet her, I ran backstage and here we are, two of us, after so many years, to tear a portrait and an autograph on her cd. She was also happy to know that she had a fan from Italy. She doesn't know that I am actually Pokcik...

See you in Penang, on the top floor of Queensbye, at the Food Court, eating chicken'n'chops cooked by my Bangladeshi friends, the best in Penang.

Me and Dato' Siti Nurhaliza after her concert. Balik Pulau. Penang, 21 July 2019

Suggested video: Dato' Siti Nurhaliza “Nirmala \ Balqis \ Hati Kama” (Live Balik Pulau)

Italian version