I stumbled upon this documentary by Rafeeq Elias about the small and vanishing community in Calcutta(Kolkata). It brought back some memories for me when I was there and wandered around the strange area populated by this small community. Very few people have heard of the dwindling community, almost rarely seen unless you wandered to their hideouts in Kolkata.
Monday, 29 August 2011
THE VANISHING PEOPLE
I stumbled upon this documentary by Rafeeq Elias about the small and vanishing community in Calcutta(Kolkata). It brought back some memories for me when I was there and wandered around the strange area populated by this small community. Very few people have heard of the dwindling community, almost rarely seen unless you wandered to their hideouts in Kolkata.
Friday, 26 August 2011
CREW MEMBER POSSESSED DURING
News from Asia OneA crew member reportedly got possessed during a film shoot in an empty house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This reportedly took place during the filming of the drama "Code of Honour", which involved artistes including Zheng Ge Ping, Rui En, Elvin Ng, Chris Tong and Andie Chen.
The film crew had arrived at the empty house on 13 August at about 11pm. The day is coincidentally the 14th day of the Ghost Month.
The female crew member in question had gone pale and said she felt unwell immediately upon arriving at the location. The crew told her to rest in the vehicle instead of joining the filming. Some time later, the girl inexplicably dashed out of the vehicle towards a dark area of the house, away from the filming location. At the same time, she was screaming and behaving like a lunatic while pointing at the second floor of the house.
Shocked at her sudden strange behaviour, three men including the director, producer and martial arts choreographer chased after the girl to restrain her. But despite their efforts, the normally gentle girl could not be subdued and suddenly seemed extremely strong. She also began to speak in a different voice and behaved like a different person altogether.
In the chaos, another member of the crew managed to subdue the girl only after he pressed a talisman above her lip, which is an acupuncture point rooted in Chinese medicine as well as mystical origins. After the man did so, the girl immediately collapsed and the men quickly carried her back into the vehicle.
The crew immediately rushed her to a nearby temple even though it was already in the middle of the night.
On the incident, actress Chris said it was so scary that her legs were shaking. She could not walk and had to hold on to fellow actor Andie. Chris was so shaken that she refused to go back into the house to continue filming and retired to the vehicle where she could not stop crying from fear.
The makeup artist and costumer also ran out of the house crying and complaining of the eerie atmosphere in the house.
Andie said that the possessed girl kept pointing at the second floor and saying "there, over there..".
Chris added that the incident didn't just end there.
The girl was absent on set as she went on medical leave for several days after the incident. Chris subsequently heard that the crew, including the director, assistant director and the martial arts choreographer visited her at her home.
The girl stays in a rented apartment by herself.
When the group of men got to her apartment, they found her looking frail and exhausted. A short while later, the girl got possessed again and began to speak in a different manner to the group. The men were so scared they didn't dare to enter her house. Then the girl suddenly said she needed to use the toilet, and when she came out, she was normal again.
Chris said that according to the priest from the temple, the girl was possessed by two spirits, the ghost of a child and its mother. While the child remained behind at the empty house after the girl left, the mother had followed her home.
The priest eventually managed to exorcise the girl and she remembers nothing of her behaviour during the possession.
After the incident, some members of the film crew also commented that the filming had commenced earlier with prayers and offerings in Muar, but no prayers were offered when the crew went to Kuala Lumpur.
This is also the first time the crew has encountered such an incident.
First published: Shin Min Daily News
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
WHY HUNGRY GHOSTS NEED TO BE APPEASED
FROM ASIA ONE NEWS
Even as the faithful offer prayers, put on the most spectacular getai shows, and organise lavish spreads to appease wandering souls during the Hungry Ghost Festival, many go through the rites of this Chinese tradition without knowing why the rituals are carried out.
But these rituals can be linked back to early Chinese civilisations, such as the Han Dynasty, a period when Chinese culture and society flourished as emperors created terracotta warriors modelled after their own armies to attend and protect them in the afterlife.
While the early Chinese believed in life after death, they also had a slightly different concept of the dead from modern Chinese today, and the "good brothers" that we often refer to now are not always what they seemed to be in the past.
Professor Lo Yuet Keung, Associate Professor at the Department of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore pointed out that even though there has always been a universal belief in the human soul, the early Chinese believed that human beings had "dual souls".
The "dual souls" consisted of "po", referring to the intellectual power and mental faculties of a person, and "hun", the human emotions and feelings and source of consciousness.
This dual concept later evolved into a single entity after the introduction of Buddhism into China, and what subsequently came to be known as 'shen', or spirit.
When a person loses his 'po', his behaviour becomes erratic and his reasoning power and judgment suffers, eventually resulting in his death.
Professor Lo explained: "When a person dies a violent death or with grievances, his 'hun' may linger on to cause trouble. "
"The 'hun' then needs to be appeased with appropriate sacrifices."
The idea that a person's 'hun' can remain among the living to cause mischief has contributed to the popularity of the Hungry Ghost Festival, even until today.
"The belief in a unitary soul that could survive death into a new life through reincarnation continues until today in many Chinese communities over the world.
"This is one of the reasons why the Ghost Festival became popular in China in the first place," he added.
The belief that souls linger on after death also led to the early Chinese attempting to summon a deceased person's soul for ancestor worship.
"A spiritual tablet would be set up for him in the family shrine so that if and when a deceased's soul came back, it could dwell within the tablet.
"His family would pay sacrifices to the tablets in the shrine periodically and this is an important part of what we call ancestor worship," Prof Lo said.
Friday, 19 August 2011
Further Blessing from Da Bei Zhou
Further Blessing from Da Bei Zhou
I introduce you to Master Sha. Get some blessings by listening to his chant given to him by Guan Yin
I introduce you to Master Sha. Get some blessings by listening to his chant given to him by Guan Yin
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
ALL SET FOR ONE HELLUVA TOUR
GEORGE TOWN: The first ever outdoor ‘Netherworld Tour’ (a trip to hell) in Malaysia would be held here in conjunction with the ongoing Phor Thor (Hungry Ghost Festival).
For believers of the spiritual world, this tour is organised for them to ‘interact’ with their loved ones and friends who have passed on.
It is jointly organised by the Penang Teong Guan Association and the state government.
Tze Bei Guan Yin Centre leader Master Kek Eng Seng, who would lead the tour, said participants would experience different scenarios in ‘hell’.
“Some of them would be able to meet their loved ones who have passed on; some might be able to tour the streets of hell while some would be able to witness how torture is conducted in hell.
“We cannot guarantee though, that all participants are able to experience the tour successfully. Deterrent factors include their suffering from anxiety attack or failure to travel into the netherworld altogether,” he told a press conference on Carnarvon Street yesterday.
To prepare for the tour, the participants will be asked to close their eyes and listen to Master Kek’s instructions.
“They must listen attentively and heed every instruction issued, as it is crucial to avoid antagonising the wandering spirits,” he said.
He said this would be his first effort to attempt an outdoor ‘tour’.
Previously, he only conducted such ‘trips’ within the confines of a temple.
The ‘tour’ will be held at Padang Brown on Jalan Datuk Keramat from 8.30pm to 10.30pm on Aug 27.
It will be conducted by Master Kek with help from more than 10 of his assistants.
He has 28 years of experience in dealing with spiritual matters and had studied Taoism and Tibetan Buddhism as well as fortune tell-ing.
State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said the event had the potential to attract tourists .
He said: “We would like to thank the organisers of the Phor Thor for continuously organising this religious festival for over 100 years. The Netherworld Tour was famous in Taiwan but this would be the first in Malaysia.”
For now, Master Kek has fielded more than 200 participants but only about 100 can join the tour.
“We would screen the participants to see if they are fit to join the tour,” he said.
For believers of the spiritual world, this tour is organised for them to ‘interact’ with their loved ones and friends who have passed on.
It is jointly organised by the Penang Teong Guan Association and the state government.
Tze Bei Guan Yin Centre leader Master Kek Eng Seng, who would lead the tour, said participants would experience different scenarios in ‘hell’.
“Some of them would be able to meet their loved ones who have passed on; some might be able to tour the streets of hell while some would be able to witness how torture is conducted in hell.
“We cannot guarantee though, that all participants are able to experience the tour successfully. Deterrent factors include their suffering from anxiety attack or failure to travel into the netherworld altogether,” he told a press conference on Carnarvon Street yesterday.
To prepare for the tour, the participants will be asked to close their eyes and listen to Master Kek’s instructions.
“They must listen attentively and heed every instruction issued, as it is crucial to avoid antagonising the wandering spirits,” he said.
He said this would be his first effort to attempt an outdoor ‘tour’.
Previously, he only conducted such ‘trips’ within the confines of a temple.
The ‘tour’ will be held at Padang Brown on Jalan Datuk Keramat from 8.30pm to 10.30pm on Aug 27.
It will be conducted by Master Kek with help from more than 10 of his assistants.
He has 28 years of experience in dealing with spiritual matters and had studied Taoism and Tibetan Buddhism as well as fortune tell-ing.
State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said the event had the potential to attract tourists .
He said: “We would like to thank the organisers of the Phor Thor for continuously organising this religious festival for over 100 years. The Netherworld Tour was famous in Taiwan but this would be the first in Malaysia.”
For now, Master Kek has fielded more than 200 participants but only about 100 can join the tour.
“We would screen the participants to see if they are fit to join the tour,” he said.
Sunday, 14 August 2011
THE STRANGER
I saw an advert inserted by the Hospital, for the relatives of a dead Hindu man to collect the body. I knew he was a homeless, somehow, and so I contacted a friend to note this case and if no next of kin comes to collect the body, then I wish to contribute some money for his burial under Hindu rites. The opportunity came and I asked my friend to do the needful for this unknown stranger.
I don’t know him, nor his story. He died alone in the public hospital which he admitted himself. His life must be full of hardship and disappointments. Was he married? Did he have any children, if so where are the children? The least I can do is to give a decent burial. Rest in peace, stranger. Ohm Mani Padme Hum!
Friday, 12 August 2011
CALLING THE GHOST BUSTER
Women are more prone to seeing ghosts than men, according to Master Szeto Fat-ching, a famous exorcist and Feng Shui guru from Hong Kong.
He said based on the Yin and Yang philosophy, women come under the Yin category - just like ghosts - and so it is easier for them to 'click' with each other.
"There's nothing to be scared of because the ghosts are more afraid of human beings than we are of them. Most of them are harmless," said Master Szeto, who has been dubbed the "Ghost King of Macau".
Szeto is currently in Malaysia as a guest deejay for Chinese radio station 988, to talk about ghost-related topics in conjunction with the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival, which began on July 31.
On Wednesday night, Master Szeto and his "ghost-searching" partner Ben Kwok - shared their stories and exchanged views with more than 300 fans of the supernatural at an event in Kuala Lumpur.
They showed several photographs of "spirits" to the audience. Several people from the crowd also shared their paranormal experiences and ghostly encounters.
Szeto said ghosts were actually a "group of frequencies" and how they look like varies depending on the person who sees them.
"The same spirit may seem to be a woman or man to some, or just an imageless shadow to others."
Many Hong Kong ghost movies are now basing their storylines on events in South East Asian countries especially Malaysia and Thailand.
He said based on the Yin and Yang philosophy, women come under the Yin category - just like ghosts - and so it is easier for them to 'click' with each other.
"There's nothing to be scared of because the ghosts are more afraid of human beings than we are of them. Most of them are harmless," said Master Szeto, who has been dubbed the "Ghost King of Macau".
Szeto is currently in Malaysia as a guest deejay for Chinese radio station 988, to talk about ghost-related topics in conjunction with the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival, which began on July 31.
On Wednesday night, Master Szeto and his "ghost-searching" partner Ben Kwok - shared their stories and exchanged views with more than 300 fans of the supernatural at an event in Kuala Lumpur.
They showed several photographs of "spirits" to the audience. Several people from the crowd also shared their paranormal experiences and ghostly encounters.
Szeto said ghosts were actually a "group of frequencies" and how they look like varies depending on the person who sees them.
"The same spirit may seem to be a woman or man to some, or just an imageless shadow to others."
Many Hong Kong ghost movies are now basing their storylines on events in South East Asian countries especially Malaysia and Thailand.
Monday, 8 August 2011
Spirit ‘captured’ in photos during ritual
Spirit ‘captured’ in photos during ritual
A GROUP of friends had a shock of their life when they found that they “captured” images of a spirit in the photographs they took during a Hungry Ghost ritual recently.
China Press reported that the images, which looked like a paper ghost, appeared in the photographs taken by the restaurant workers.
The group had conducted prayers at about 12.30am on the first day of the Hungry Ghost Month at a roadside in Malacca.
The group later decided to hold another prayer at the same site and were relieved that the spirit did not appear in any of the photographs that they took.
However, a photography expert said the image of the so-called spirit might be just a reflection from a glass window.
A GROUP of friends had a shock of their life when they found that they “captured” images of a spirit in the photographs they took during a Hungry Ghost ritual recently.
China Press reported that the images, which looked like a paper ghost, appeared in the photographs taken by the restaurant workers.
The group had conducted prayers at about 12.30am on the first day of the Hungry Ghost Month at a roadside in Malacca.
The group later decided to hold another prayer at the same site and were relieved that the spirit did not appear in any of the photographs that they took.
However, a photography expert said the image of the so-called spirit might be just a reflection from a glass window.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
GHOST MONTH CELEBRATIONS
August is the season ruled by Sirius, the Dog Star. But the Dog Days bring more than hot weather. The planets move in odd formations, intensifying our emotions and off-beat thought throughout the month. One day, life is beautiful, and the next it could be strange. Seriously, the partial planetary alignments intensify every part of our selves: the good, bad, the indifferent, and the not-so-aligned pieces. This is Astrology but for the Taoists, it is the Ghost month, where released wandering spirits roam and do mischief. I have observed that one of the ways this is manifested is the number of motor vehicle accidents happening on roads that is not known to be prone to accidents. This just occurred on a road that I know very well as I use it daily. It was a three car pile up. Folks, just be extra careful this whole month of August!
The Taoists will pray to appease these wandering spirits so that the neighbourhood will be peaceful and business will thrive. These photos depicts the festival and it was not easy for me to take the photos as I had to travel round the whole town to catch these before they are taken down. I had in fact missed some very huge celebrations because I was too late to get there.
Friday, 5 August 2011
GHOST MONTH REMINDER!
<a href="http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/uk/news/article_1655164.php/Mr-Bean-swaps-his-Mini-for-a-McLaren-F1-and-crashes">Mr Bean swaps his Mini for a McLaren F1 - and crashes - Monsters and Critics</a>
This is the Ghost Month, remember?
This is the Ghost Month, remember?
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