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Cuisine in Melaka

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014 and HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

In a few days time, 2013 will end and we will usher in the New Year of 2014. We want to send our greetings to everyone for ushering 2014.

May 2014 bring us joy, happiness, health and peace to all Malaysians and our fellow humans around the world.

Also, by the end of January 2014, all Chinese around the world will usher in the Year of the Horse.

May the Horse gallops in prosperity, wealth and happiness for everyone.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014 and QONG XI FA CAI in the YEAR OF THE HORSE.

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Wonderful Malaysia

Chinese New Year in Malaysia

What is there to do during Chinese New Year in Malaysia?

Chinese New Year is perhaps the biggest and most important annual festival for Chinese and the Chinese communities world wide. The event is celebrated on the first day of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Each year is named after one of the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Prior to celebrations, homes are cleaned and decorated by members of the family. Debts are also settled while offerings and prayers are made. Also, plenty of food is prepared and new clothes are purchased. Like any other event, family members from out of town and far away will come home for the gathering.

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Also known by the name of Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, the event is observed by the Chinese communities throughout the world, regardless of where they are. It is a cultural event and can a religious one too for the Buddhists, Confucians and Taoists who offer prayers. As the festival approaches, friends and relatives still exchange New Year greeting cards with each other despite the technology era. A family reunion dinner will be held on the eve of the New Year. During this time, bad language and any unpleasant or sensitive topic is strictly discouraged. It’s always best to be in one’s good behavior and only say good and auspicious things.

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On Chinese New Year day, everyone is abuzz with various activities, including decorating with duilian (a pair of scrolls with poetry written), giving red packets or angpau or ang pow containing money, visiting friends and families, having family meals and gatherings, playing cards with small bets of money and watching dragon or lion dances. While each country may celebrate the New Year in an almost similar way, the concept of open house is normally practiced in Malaysia where the homes are open for friends and family to visit, regardless of race and religion. The country’s leaders organize open houses too on a larger scale, often held at a community hall to accommodate the crowds of locals and foreign visitors who come to greet their leaders and tuck into festive goodies. Just like any other festival in Malaysia, Chinese New Year is basically the time of the year to get together with family and friends.

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Chap Goh Mei

Chinese New Year is celebrated for fifteen days with the main focus on the first three days. Chap Goh Mei, or the fifteenth day of Chinese New Year, is once again celebrated with much enthusiasm. Homes are again decked in brightly decorated lights and legend has it that young and unmarried women could throw tangerines into the sea if they wish to get a good husband. This tradition has undergone a modern twist where the females still toss Mandarin oranges into the sea but now they have written their telephone numbers on them. Men in boats will then row over and fish out the oranges! The singles carry out this practice good-naturedly and have fun with their friends on that final night of the New Year celebrations. Once Chap Goh Mei has passed, daily life resumes with each hoping to have a prosperous year ahead.

Fireworks

In Malaysia many people light fireworks during Chinese New Year. At Chinese New Years Eve, you can enjoy fireworks until the deepest hours of the night. Also at other days, people will light fireworks. The best chance to witness this is in the more Chinese areas in Kuala Lumpur (like Chinatown, Old Klang Road/Kuchai Lama and many areas in Petaling Jaya) and also in cities like Georgetown (at Penang Island), Ipoh and Malacca. Hokkien Chinese in Malaysia also light a lot a fireworks at the ninth day of Chinese New Year, in celebration of the birthday of the Jade Emperor.

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Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur

When you are staying in Kuala Lumpur during Chinese New Year you should definitely visit the Petaling Street area in Chinatown. Here the Chinese temples are crowded with locals that come there to pray. You can witness lion dances and people lighting fireworks. All shopping malls in the city showcase their Chinese New Years theme. They are all decorated and during the first few days you will be able to witness lion dances within the stores. This is done to make sure the store is blessed and that business will be great that year. The first days of Chinese New Year are the only days of the year that you will witness many stores closed, as most of the Chinese business owners are visiting their relatives in their home towns or home countries.

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Chinese New Year on Penang Island

Especially Penang is a great place to visit during Chinese New Year. There are many beautiful temples in Georgetown, and all are crowded with Chinese Malaysians that come there to pray (mostly for health and prosperity during the new year). One of the most important temples at Penang Island, Kek Lok Si Temple, is especially interesting to visit. At night millions of colorful lamps transform the whole area in a beautiful scene. Locals come every night to witness the lights being turned on, it is a wonderful sight.

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Calendar with dates Chinese New Year

  • Year of the Tiger – February 14, 2010
  • Year of the Rabbit – February 3, 2011
  • Year of the Dragon – January 23, 2012
  • Year of the Snake – February 10, 2013
  • Year of the Horse – January 31, 2014
  • Year of the Goat – February 19, 2015
  • Year of the Monkey – February 8, 2016
  • Year of the Rooster – January 28, 2017
  • Year of the Dog – February 16, 2018
  • Year of the Pig – February 5, 2019
  • Year of the Rat – January 25, 2020

Traveling in Malaysia during Chinese New Year

We find traveling through Malaysia during Chinese New Year very rewarding. We visited KL, Cameron Highlands, Penang, Kuching and Malacca once within the 15 days of CNY and we loved it. The atmosphere is very pleasant during these days. We loved all the fireworks and the amazing vibe at all the temples.

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Tourists that visit Malaysia during CNY should not pass up a chance to experience it up and close. Penang was by far the best place to be, especially the Chulia Street area was very nice.

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It is especially nice if you get invited to have dinner at a local Chinese Malaysian family. Families usually invite friends (or even strangers) over for dinner on the 2nd or 3rd day of Chinese New Year as the first day is always reserved for close family.

Extremely fun to witness and eat is Yee Sang; a special dish that is only served during Chinese New Year. Yee Sang contains many different vegetables together with other ingredients. Once ready people will toss the shredded bits into the air by only using their chop sticks. It is very important that it is all tossed really high into the air as it reflects the amount of good luck, health and prosperity they will receive.

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Traveling during CNY can be quite exhausting, especially in the few days before the actual celebrations. Many people are traveling at the same time, often heading back to their home villages. Some use the public holiday to do some traveling their selves. Busses to Penang, Malacca or Ipoh will be packed, the same goes for flights to Penang. Traffic jams are common the days before CNY, but once it is CNY streets and highways are empty. Shops are closed during these days and people are celebrating at home or visiting temples.

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Suggestions?

Got any good tips to share with us? Do you know of any great things to do during Chinese New Year in Malaysia? Let us know by leaving a reply below!

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Categories
Cuisine in Melaka

ZHENG HE RETURNS TO MELAKA

Wednesday January 30, 2013

Zheng He ‘returns’ to Malacca
By R.S.N.MURALI
murali@thestar.com.my

Epic voyage: A replica of the vessel helmed by Zheng He in Jonker Walk, Malacca.
MALACCA: Legend has it that Admiral Zheng He and his armada left his home port of Nanjing in China for their epic voyage to India in the Year of the Snake in the 1400s. Along the way they stopped at Malacca.

To mark the auspicious year of his voyage, the Chinese community will display a huge replica of the ship used by the admiral in the city’s world-famous Jonker Street, touted as the pulse of the community here.

Measuring 30m in length and 23m-high, it weighs close to two tonnes and resembles the original Chinese junk used by Zheng He in his sea travels.

Two cranes hoisted the replica to its above-ground berth on Friday night.

State MCA chief Datuk Gan Tian Loo said the replica, assembled by local craftsmen, would be displayed on two pillars that support the artificial junk, the names of the countries the admiral had sailed to.

Zheng He had reputedly sailed to 30 nations across Asia and Africa.

Gan said the craftsmen had incorporated intricate designs from the original vessel into the replica.

“It will be the icon of this historic city during the celebrations,” he said, adding thousands of visitors are expected to view the boat during the festive season.

“The city is ready to welcome the Year of the Snake in style, with carnivals and shows to mark the auspicious event,” he said, adding that Zheng He’s boat will complement the 1Malaysia dragons that adorn Jonker Street to mark the outgoing Year of the Dragon.

One of the dragons, dubbed the Prosperity Dragon, measures 121m-long, and is the longest outdoor dragon effigy in Malaysia.

The Harmony Dragon comes a close second at 91m.

Meanwhile, Temple Street , also known as Harmony Street in the old section of Malacca city, was lit with hundreds of red lanterns and coloured lights on Saturday.

Several arches and billboards with festive greetings and messages already festoon Jonker Street.

Hundreds jammed the streets in the historical hub as Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam led a team of community leaders that included MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Jonker Walk committee adviser Datuk Wira Gan Boon Leong to light the lanterns to usher in the new year.

Earlier, several lion dance troupes, musicians, dancers, performers and entertainers, showcased their talents in various performances to entertain the public and foreign tourists.

Categories
All Malaysia Info

Thaipusam: a celebration of faith and gratitude

While many of us associate Thaipusam with crowds at temples and the awe-inspiring sight of kavadi bearers, how many of us actually understand the significance of the occasion?

A devotee bearing a kavadi – the symbol of humility and devotion

Thaipusam comes from an amalgam of the words “Thai” – referring to the Tamil month of Thai (January – February) – and Pusam – the brightest star during this period. Falling between 15 January and 15 February every year, Thaipusam is a celebration of Lord Murugan’s victory over Soorapadman’s tyranny.

Soorapadman believed himself invincible since he cannot be killed by anything other than a being that was a manifestation of Lord Shiva, one of the most important Hindu deities. Unluckily for him, Lord Murugan was one such being and he used his spear or vel, which was given to him by Lord Shiva’s consort, Parvati, to defeat Soorapadman.

So it is that during Thaipusam, the people thank Lord Murugan for granting their wishes and defeating the “daily demons” that plague their lives, be it illnesses, career blocks or infertility. Believers not only thank him, they also ask forgiveness for trangressions made, as well as pray for blessings.

The rituals of Thaipusam usually begin much earlier before the big day itself. Some devotees fast for more than a month before the occasion while others shave their heads as an act of gratitude, repentance or as a poignant plea to have prayers answered.

On the eve of Thaipusam, the image of Lord Murugan is transported from one temple to another, accompanied and waited on by devotees bearing offerings to the deity. Milk, a symbol of purity and virtue, as well as flowers and fruits are common Thaipusam offerings. Kavadis, literally “sacrifice at every step”, can be seen attached to devotees via hooks and thin spears that pierce their backs, cheeks and mouths.

This can be quite a sight for onlookers who no doubt wonder how these kavadi bearers withstand the pain, but devotees will tell you that their fervent faith in their Lord Murugan’s protection spares them from pain and prevents them from shedding blood. Bearing a kavadi is an act of devotion and humility.

Additionally, coconuts are smashed to signify the breaking of the ego and the emergence of a purer self.

In Batu Caves – one of the focal points of Thaipusam celebration in Malaysia – the procession accompanying the silver chariot bearing Lord Murugan’s idol, starts from Sri Mahamariamman, in the centre of Kuala Lumpur, to the temples of Batu Caves. The procession usually starts before midnight on the eve of Thaipusam and is a 15 kilometre journey that can easily take 8 hours.

Devotees wait for hours just to catch a glimpse of Lord Murugan on his chariot and extend their offerings while hundreds of thousands more join the procession to the temples. The number of people at Batu Caves during Thaipusam can range from 700,000 right up to 1.5 million. At Batu Caves, devotees faithfully carry their offerings and kavadi bearers staunchly shoulder their burdens up 272 steps to the temple.

Celebrations also take place in other parts of the country. Other principal places of celebration include the Waterfall Temple in Penang and Kallumalai Temple in Ipoh, Perak.

A procession accompanying the chariot bearing the Hindu deity as it makes its way to the temple during Thaipusam

Thaipusam, to any who are lucky to witness the festivities, is both a vivid celebration of colours and a fascinating display of faith. Yet, this is not the only Hindu festival that is worth bearing witness to. Other holy days, important to Hindu belief and culture, are just as interesting and engrossing.

Deepavali, literally meaning “rows of lamps”, for example, is a celebration of light triumphing over dark. On this day in the Tamil month of Aippasi (October – November), one legend has it that the Lord Krishna defeated the demon king Naraka. Hindus celebrate the occasion by anointing themselves in oil and partaking in a ritual bath early in the morning on Deepavali day. Then new clothes are worn and prayers are performed. Deepavali is quite possibly the best known Hindu festival in Malaysia. Other festivals besides Thaipusam and Deepavali are:

Thai-ponggal

Celebrated for four days, beginning from the first day of the Tamil month of Thai, Ponggal means the “boiling over” of rice and is a thanksgiving to the elements that have contributed to a good harvest – mainly the sun and the cattle. On this day, the cattle gets a well-deserved day of rest, a good wash and their sheds similarly get a thorough cleaning. They are also decorated with garlands and fed with ponggal – sweet rice. The Sun God is thanked as well with both prayers and sweet rice. But the gratitude isn’t only limited to the Sun God and the cattle; on the third day of celebration, visits are made to family and friends, employers customarily present gifts to their employees and single women present offerings to their home deities, praying for a worthy husband.

Sivarathiri

Taking place on the 13th night of the Tamil month of Masi (February – March), this is a festival of fasting and prayers. It is also known as Shiva’s Night.

Panguni Utthiram

This festival falls on the same day as that of Lord Shiva’s union with Parvathi and the birth of Lord Murugan from sparks emanating from Lord Shiva’s eyes. Falling on the day of the full moon in the Tamil month of Panguni (March – April), the festival is celebrated much like Thaipusam in Murugan temples.

Tamil New Year

Here new year refers to the first day of the Tamil month of Chittirai (April – May). It is on this day that the sun enters the first sign of the Hindu zodiac – Aries. During the Tamil New Year (also known as the Hindu New Year), the house is thoroughly cleaned and decorated. This includes the prayer room which will be adorned with gold jewellery, rice, silk cloths and other favourable objects. Those who take part in the celebrations wear new clothes, eat a vegetarian meal and go to the temple to perform prayers.

Navaratthiri

Literally meaning “Nine Nights”, this festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Puraddasi (September – October). The celebrations are in honour of the goddess Shakti, who is the “Great Divine Mother” in Hindu belief. On this day, a kolu – a dais with nine steps – is filled with the images of Hindu deities and saints while the “Great Divine Mother” is invited to take her place on a kumpam – a beautifully decorated, water-filled pot that is covered with husked coconut as well as mango leaves and placed on banana leaf that also has rice on it. Offerings in the form of nine types of grains are placed at the kumpan as well.

 


Map: Batu Caves


Mini Thaipusam

Mini Thaipusam in living colour

Miss World Malaysia 2009 Thanuja Ananthan

Colours of Deepavali [PIC]

Oil Lamp or Vilakku

Deepavali – The Festival of Lights

Malaysian Children

Festivals and celebrations in Malaysia

Arulmugu Sri Ruthra Veeramuthu Maha Mariamman Temple

A temple stands proud

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Categories
Tourism Malaysia

We Love Asia Music Festival

We Love Asia Music Festival

With the beginning of the new year 2013, 2SPICY Entertainment will introduce its sound-bashing and thrilling festival “WE LOVE ASIA”. During two wild days, on January 19th and 20th, international world-class artists such as Redfoo of LMFAO and the Party Rock Crew (Party Rock Anthem, I’m Sexy And I Know It), Taio Cruz (Hangover, Dynamite), Yolanda Be Cool (We No Speak Americano, Le Bump), DJ Antoine (Welcome to St. Tropez, Ma Cherie) and DJs like Steve Aoki (Turbulence, Wake up Call) or Joachim Garraud (We Are The Future, Wrecking Ball) will perform live on the Sepang Formula One Circuit in Kuala Lumpur and heat up the celebrating crowd.

Ticket and further info: http://www.airasiaredtix.com/events/WeLoveAsiaFestival/

Event Period: 19 20 January 2013

Event Location: Sepang International Circuit (SIC), Sepang, Selangor.