Vegetarian Festival In Bangkok
In Thailand, this festival is called “Tesagan Gin Je” (เทศกาลกินเจ), the Vegetarian Festival. It is celebrated throughout the entire country, but the festivities are at their height in Phuket, where about 35% of the population is Chinese. It attracts crowds of spectators because of many of the unusual religious rituals that are performed. Many religious devotees will slash themselves with swords, pierce their cheeks with sharp objects and commit other painful acts. (From wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Emperor_Gods_Festival)
Je
Je, เจ, 斋(in chinese word), the meaning of Vegeterian. Je During a period of nine days, those who are participating in the festival dress all in white and gin je กินเจ, which has come to be translated as abstinence from eating meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products. Vendors and proprietors of restaurants indicate that je food is for sale at their establishments by putting a yellow flag out with the word เจ (je) written on it in red. (From wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Emperor_Gods_Festival)
I have been to Fashion Island this two days with my Thai friend and family. It’s a huge shopping center locating at Thanon Rarm Intra, Khanna Yao, Bangkok. There are having a big market with many food stall. But, they are all selling vegeterian food for the Gin Je Festival (Vegetarian Festival). You can see there’s a lot of people are queuing and waiting for their food. And most important, there’s a lot of delicious vegeterian food.
Don’t be surprise for the photo above, it is not meat. Don’t let the photo cheat your eyes, it is actually made from some vegeterian ingredients such as flour, grain, tofu, or maybe some other vegetable. Taste is a little bit different with meat, but it’s taste good with some chili sauces. They also made a lot of similar food like Kap Pao Gai, Lat Mu and much much more. But all made from vegeterian ingredients, just the look and taste are so similar with the real meat.
You can also find out there are some very nice and special local fruit, dessert around there. Such as mango glutinous sticky rice and much much more. The pricing for all the food around here are reasonable and cheap.
In Thailand, most of the population is Buddhist. Most of them believe that if we can remain do not kill or eat any life or animal, it will bring good fortune and future to you. Even we can’t make it everyday, but at least we do it together once a year. I believe on it too.
Will keep sharing with you if i got much more news about this Gin Je, Vegeterian Festival. Hope you will enjoy it too if you are in Thailand or maybe you are coming to this Festival.