Source of My Life: Shi kills the devil 3 times over

On the 9th evening of October, marks the 10 days period of a Hindu festival when the Goddess Shi killed the evil...

Being an independent person at 18 years of age, i didn't experience much of other cultures and religious believes and festive s....

Thanks again to Komathi for the invite to the temple near your place, lets share the experience...

The temple's priest proceding with the bathing of the goddess Shi..

At the Start

We gathered at Komathi's house at about 7 plus, after chilling and knowing her family and all.. Yeah, we took off to the temple which was a stone throw away..

A nice picture to start the night..
(All Thanks to Komathi's neighbour Suruya)

Next, we walk around the temple ground.. Looking and praying to all the various goddess and deities which populate the area..
The priest and retinue were getting ready the various religious icons and relic's for the ceremonial procession...

The man with the Staff which killed evil..

Me and Eyka gave offerings and praying for luck, strength and fortitude for our future... Yea, and the temple did have a coin offering pond. In which you make a wish and flip the coin into the pond..

Making an offering of incense to the deities

Soon after, the crowd began to gather and the auspicious time came.. The priest began with a short speech welcoming the people and beginning the ceremony,

As the priest addresses the crowd before he begin..

The *drum rolls* and pipe music starts.... A good coordination between the priest during the procession and the musicians as they play and and chat in sync..

Yeah, the dude with the flute and the finger drums..

The priest made offerings to the goddess with various relics.. from candles, lamps and to a very dangerous looking saw.. This marks the preparation before the goddess heads to battle (with evil)

Offering of Light

Soon after the various offerings, the goddess decided to mobilize to fight evil.. Thus various hulks came to bring her to cleanse the place of evil..

Hulks doing their job

Carrying the deity around the compound to symbolize the journey

Thus, the deity came to confront evil.. coming up in a straight charge against it (evil stood a form of a banana tree..)

The charging of the goddess...

(but this part is so potong-stim. At the most exciting part of the event, my camera had some battery malfunction problem.. No thanks to expired batteries from a herbal shop..)

Finally, burning the remains of evil..

Thus, the goddess headed back, and cleanse herself ...

so we had time to camwhore while they prepare for the following procession..

Gaya and I

Eyka, Khomathi, and Suruya

Suruya and I

Me and Eyka

Thus, they bathe the goddess in Water, Milk and a mixture of fruits and honey.. To Clean her after killing evil..

Milk

And after the festival, there was banana leaf feast..
Apparently, different from other cultures.. This feast is not self service..
(From a Chinese point of view, who would want to treat you food and serve you at the same time, go get your own XD)
They were very hospitable, and i still love the chilly-sambal-taufu..

Banana Leaf rice

Okay, after the event we went back.....
Thanks again to Komathi and Suruya being our guide for the event, and Gaya for transporting us savely to and fore.. XD

Yeah, there's more...
After the goddess bathing ceremony,

We saw a national celebrity,

National Badminton Player, Lee Chong Wei!!!!
Wohoo!!!
He came to receive blessings from the gods before the next competition..
Plus he came from humble beginnings, staying at the village off Bukit Kiara..
Here's the pict, to show that it did happend!!
XD