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| The program for the day (thankfully, in English) |
A routine life makes time pass by relatively quickly. Before you know it, even annual events such as these seem to come around once again. Briefly, the Kathina day marks the end of the 3-month Vassa (meditation retreat) period observed by Buddhist devotees. Usually starting sometime in July and ending in October (referencing the lunar calendar, hence the slight change each year).
Looking at the planned agenda for the day, I noted that we'd have to be there by 8.30am. Based on experience, it would be a 1.5 hour drive, assuming ideal traffic conditions. Leaving at 7.00am, most of the people would still be in bed or at the breakfast table, but due to the Deepavali holiday on Wednesday, plus the entire week being a school holiday, it's anyone's guess how many vehicles would be on the road.
Fortunately, it was an uneventful, smooth journey, with my kids resuming their briefly interrupted sleep in the back of the car. We arrived comfortable on time with some minutes to spare. This year, there seemed to be less people around. Usually, there was a huge crowd, half comprising locals (Malaysians, or Singaporeans who look like Malaysians) and the other half made up of Myanmar nationals (workers). Last year, the car park was full, both with cars driven by locals and buses rented by the foreigners. Not able to explain why there were less people around this year, however, there was still a huge crowd.
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| A mixture of Malaysians and Myanmar nationals in the compound |
There were stalls set up in the compound in front of the dormitory / Sima Hall, where devotees could make donations or purchase robes / other requisites to "dana" (donate) to the Sangha (monks) later during the ceremony. There were also some tents set up where the food was arranged (prepared by the organizers and also some brought by the devotees). There were some limited number of tables and seats prepared, but people ended up eating wherever they could find a spot (includes the steps, sides of buildings, or just standing in the worst case). Fortunately, elderly and kids are given priority, so no major issues here.
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| It was a hot day - perfect weather for cendol! |
Weather was good that day, meaning it was not raining. That would have been a major concern, given that there was insufficient shelter and covered walkway between the buildings.
As some of the people were observing Buddhist Precepts which include not eating after 1pm, the organizers ensured everything took place as scheduled. This included the Puja chanting, offering of requisites and also a short Dhamma talk. This year, in order to speed things up, the food was lined up on the tables by the sides, where the monks took their food (sort of like a buffet). The usual modus operandi was for the devotees to line up and take the food, to offer to the monks sequentially.
Food was plentiful, both in quantity and variety, mixed with local style as well as Myanmar style dishes. Taking a spoonful of each, my plate was also full halfway through.
With everything going smoothly, we were done and on our way back home shortly after lunch. Again, the luck was with us as the South-bound traffic was light as well. Just some minor congestion after the Air Keroh toll exit at the MITC intersection, which has been under construction for some time. Well, that's it for this year's Kathina celebration - Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu!
By the way, photos here were taken on my venerable Samsung Galaxy Note 2, due to the untimely passing of my Xiaomi Redmi 1S. Sourcing now for a replacement....
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