Pierced Devotees Parading Around The Phuket Vegetarian Festival

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival every October is one of the most bizarre and shocking events on the calendar where you will be pierced devotees parade through the streets. If you follow festivals this is one you will should consider seeing as the ancient rituals are amazing to witness. Not for the fainthearted and definitely for the adventurous traveller.

Pierced Devotees parade around the Phuket Vegetarian Festival with all kinds of metal things sticking out of their faces.

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a colourful event celebrating the Chinese community’s belief that abstaining from meat and stimulants during the 10-day festival will bless them with good health and a peaceful life.

It's not peaceful during the parade. It will freak you out because devotees go to the shrine, go into a kind of trance then pierce themselves with all kinds of objects from swords to tv antennas to chop sticks. After that they all depart the shrine and walk around the town in a parade like you've never imagined before. There are men and woman, young and old, participating in the ancient ritual that has been preserved for so many years.

Locals and tourists who have travelled from around the world to see the spectacular sight line the streets with offerings and cameras on the ready. Many wear googles to protect their eyes from unpredictable fireworks and face masks to block out the smoke. Dancing devotees with their minds in other dimensions stop to accept offerings and give blessings with fire works randomly going off all over the place.

You must be up bright and early to see the amazing street parade and celebrations with many arriving before 5 am to begin the freaky process. The feeling of being amongst the parade is unbelievable. Incense and Chinese music fills the air, and there is a sense of expectation and readiness. So many people participate in elaborate outfits with piercings that range from small trinkets to enormous household objects. Locals all wear white to be pure and there are many stalls selling vegetarian food all around the towns.

There are many little children watching the parade which is disturbing when you see it for the first time. The children seem unfazed by the deafening sounds and horrifying sights. It's a part of religion and culture that they are exposed to from a very young age and may grow up and participate in even. The elderly come out of their houses and look proud to see the gruesome event again.

When the fireworks go off its deafening. The locals on the street watching are deeply moved to see the participants and receive blessings from them. It’s like being in a movie.

Locals say the festival came to Phuket by a nomadic Chinese opera group who were infected with malaria while performing on the island. They medicated with a strict vegetarian diet and prayed to the Nine Emperor Gods for purification. The opera group made a complete recovery. It was a miracle and the people celebrated with a grand festival to honor the gods and express their joy at surviving the fatal illness. The amazing festival has grown more well-known to festival followers and is followed by thousands of locals and tourists from all over the world.

By mid-morning the parades are over and people disappear to recover and prepare for the next day. Vegetarian food street food is sold all over the island, especially in Phuket Town. There are rows of white outfits on sale and you can buy fireworks and other Chinese decorations.

The festival runs for 10 days at many different shires on the island and really is one of the most mind boggling and amazing festivals on the Asian festival calendar.