Phuket Vegetarian Festival

Description:

• The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a nine-day event taking place sometime in October (dates vary from one year to the next). The festival starts on the evening, with a ladder climbing event at the Bang Neow Shrine. On the second day, believers cross the bridge at Jui Tui Shrine as a symbol of renewal and rebirth ("crossing the bridge to the other side"). Maybe the most famous part of the festival is the "freaks." These are people who believe that they will be protected from harm by the Gods during these days –To prove this, they perform a number of self-mutilating acts, including puncturing their cheeks with knives, swords and even skewers. The festival also features fire walkers and a number of specialty vegetarian foods.
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