BUTTERWORTH: Hundreds of devotees gathered at the beach as a ceremonial boat was hoisted by a crane at Pantai Bersih, marking the end of the nine-day Nine Emperor Gods Festival.
Some devotees waded into the shallow waters to bid farewell to the deities after days of prayers at the Butterworth Tow Boo Kong Temple in Jalan Raja Uda.
Hawker Lim Jee Seng, 62, said the annual observance was a way to remember his late parents, who had brought him to the temple as a child.
“Now that they are gone, I still come every year. It is one way to remember them and keep our family tradition alive,” he said on Sunday night.
Lim hoped his children would continue the practice, although he understood that younger people had their own priorities.
“I cannot force them to believe what I believe.
“But I hope they will understand why we do this and bring their own children one day,” he said.
For graphic designer Tan Mei Xin, 29, the festival now means less about seeking good fortune and more about personal reflection.
“When I was younger, I would pray for things to go well in my studies and work.
“Now, I think about whether I have treated people properly and done enough for my family.
“We cannot ask for a peaceful life if we are constantly creating problems for others,” she said.
Tan said the nine-day observance reminded her to slow down and reflect on her actions rather than focus solely on material gains.
Earlier, the emperor boat, accompanied by two ceremonial floats, travelled through Butterworth town before reaching Pantai Bersih.
Carrying ritual offerings and symbolic provisions, the boat represents the deities’ departure at the end of the festival.
It was towed out to sea and set alight, symbolising the deities’ return to their heavenly abode.
Besides Butterworth Tow Boo Kong Temple, several other temples in the area also sent off their deities at Pantai Bersih, with a procession from Simpah Kuan Yin Tow Boo Kong following closely behind.
For many devotees, the festival is a period of spiritual discipline and cleansing, traditionally following a vegetarian diet throughout the nine days as an act of devotion and purification.
The celebrations include daily prayers, incense offerings, processions, spirit-medium rituals, cheek-piercing and fire-walking.
Rooted in Taoist beliefs, the festival honours the Nine Emperor Gods, associated with the Northern Dipper and related celestial beliefs.
It falls on the first nine days of the ninth lunar month, which ran from Oct 10 to 18 this year.
