Goddess Of Mercy – Guan Yin’s Birthday 观音誕 (Guan Yin Dan) – Taoist and devotees celebrates the birthday of Goddess of Mercy (also known as Guan Yin Dan) on 19th February, 19th Jun and 19th September each year on the lunar calendar.
It’s a very hot Sunday!
Today is the 19th February in the lunar calendar and it’s a very happenings day at the Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kuan Yin Teng) on Pitt Street. I went there with grandma to pray, I also brought along my camera to take photos of the celebration. It’s really very crowded and hot because of the burning of joss stick. It’s overly crowded in the temple hall, moreover some part of the temple is closed for renovation.
It’s very uncomfortable to move around due to the heat and amount of people, but then I managed to ooze myself into the crowd to pray and take photos.
Look at the number of joss sticks!
The super crowded inner hall of the temple.
Lighting up the joss stick.
Offers to the Goddess of Mercy.
Freeing the birds is a way of doing good deeds, which I don’t really agree as these birds and caught and then bought to release.
The birds stall.
Huge dragon joss stick.
Giving out food and drinks to the needy.
Renovation going on in the temple.
There’s a corner offering ear piercing. It is said that it brings good luck to the children who get their ears pierced during Guan Yin’s birthday. There’s many parents bring their little girls for ear piercing. It looks pain, some are brave and some cried. I’ve pierced before and I know the feeling. Haha.
There’s many beggar gather at the Kuan Yin Temple on this day and there’s people bring a bag of coin to give out to them.
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