Spotlight on man’s best friend

Centre of attention: Volunteers placing a Buddha statue on the main float in Burma Road.

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Ohara Floral Art Society will come up with something different this year as Malaysians celebrate Wesak day tomorrow.

A Chinese element will be added to the main float procession, comprising three figures of man’s best friend created with thousands of fresh flowers, said its president Darren Tan.

Tan said the flower arrangement of dogs were inspired by the Chinese Year of the Dog.

He said volunteers had been working round the clock since Saturday.

“The type of animal differs yearly, depending on the animals in the Chinese zodiac.

“We shaped it like ‘sausage dogs’ (dachshunds) using thousands of white pom pom flowers donated by devotees.

“We started work on the structure of the float a week ago and only began arranging the flowers later to keep them fresh,” he said yesterday.

Saying it with flowers: Volunteers and students arranging the flowers for the float.

A golden Buddha statue is placed prominently in the middle of the float and it will be encircled with thousands of multi-coloured flowers, including daisies and chrysanthemums.

Tan said many preferred to donate yellow chrysanthemums to commemorate the Thrice Blessed Day of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing away.

He estimated that the float would be about 3.5m wide and 2m tall.

The 7km procession is among the key events for this year’s Wesak Day, themed “Harmonious Society Through Tolerance and Understanding”.

Penang Wesak Celebrations Committee chairman Datuk Dr Loh Hock Hun said the procession of 20 floats would depart at 7pm from the Malaysian Buddhist Association premises in Burma Road and end at the same venue.

It will pass through Pangkor Road, Kelawei Road, Burma Lane, Peel Avenue, Macalister Road, Anson Road and Madras Lane.

Devotees who wish to donate flowers for the float can still send them to the association today (10am to 11pm) and tomorrow (8am to noon).