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The Vegetarian Festival is celebrated annually to commemorate the belief of the Chinese community that one should abstain from stimulants and meat during the ninth lunar month in the Chinese calendar so to gain the wealth of good health and peaceful mind. It is usually held in late September or early October. For nine consecutive days all the participants adhere to strict rules. A few of them are-
- The body has to be clean during the festival.
- One should dress up only in white.
- Meat should not be eaten.
- Alcohol is also forbidden.
- Those who are mourning cannot participate. There are some very gruesome activities associated with the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand. These are all done to invoke the gods. These are usually done by those participants who act as the medium. There are innumerable acts of self mortification, body piercing and fire walking also. Participants are seen to climb up a eight meter ladder of sharp blades or walk on burning coals in trance. All the ceremonies of the Vegetarian Festival take place in the six Chinese Temples that are scattered all through Phuket. Jui Tui Shrine is the main temple where the festivities are held and this is located at a very short distance from the main market at Phuket. Apart from this visitors can also enjoy the vegetarian food that is prepared and sold in the food stalls. The Thai fare looks as if it has got meat but it is actually made of soyabean!
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