Nine Emperor Gods’ arrival at Pantai Morib

It is almost midnight here at the  Morib Beach, 75kilometres from Kuala Lumpur.  More than a thousand people are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Nine Emperor Gods to kick start this year’s Vegetarian Festival.

The prayer altars are quickly being set up.  Devotees light candles, joss sticks and make food offerings to the  Gods.

Mediums go into a trance to welcome the Gods.  Being low tide, they have to walk some 500 metres over soft sand to reach the sea.

In the meantime, the devotees continue to pour onto the beach and while waiting for the Chariot to return, they start to make fire offerings to the Gods, many release hot air lanterns into the air.

The mediums and Chariots return, having received the Gods and are quickly transported back to the Temple in Sungai Way, Petaling Jaya for the start of the Annual nine day Festival known locally as Nine Emperor Gods Festival.

Video by: Citizen Journalist KS Tan