Wednesday, August 15, 2007

In the Month of the Ghosts......

According to the Chinese lunar calender, the seventh month is the "Ghost Month" (鬼月). For 2007, the Ghost month start from August 13th 2007 to August 26th 2007. During this period of 14 days, Chinese believe that, the Gate of Hell are opened, ghosts and spirits are freed from the underworld to romp the earth. To appease these wandering spirits, prayers and offerings are usually held near the entrance of houses, entrance to business premises, and association's premises. Offerings include meats, bean curbs, fruits, groundnuts, replica paper money, sweets, etc. It is also very common to see temporary outdoor stage shows and operas being set up to entertain the wandering spirits. The Chinese believe that, appeased ghosts or spirits will not wander into homes or business premises to cause unwelcome disturbances. The Chinese also believe that, appeased ghosts and spirits will reciprocate the prayers and offerings by giving luck and good fortune.

In order not to accidentally cross the paths of wandering spirits, it is a taboo to start new venture, shifting houses, or initiate any event of significant during the first 14 days of the seventh month. It is also a taboo to go out from the house after sunset where the energies of the wandering spirits are the strongest.

Sad to note that, on the first day of Ghost month, Malaysians are greeted with the worst bus tragedy in history. At 4.40am on August 13th 2007, an express bus with 29 passengers lost control and crashed into a ditch near Bukit Gantang. 20 people were killed in the accident and 9 people were injured. As much as I want to believe the coincidental nature of this tragedy, the facts available suggest that the tragedy is man made and avoidable. Imagine, the bus is 20 years old and had failed the brake tests several times, accumulated 19 police summonses since 1991, and also accumulated 79 summonses issued by the Road Transport Department over the last five years. The driver of the bus, Rohizan Abu Bakar, 38, also had 13 outstanding traffic summonses and two warrants of arrest against him.

Let's hope all of us can have a safe, trouble free, and healthy "Ghost Month". May the almighty bless the souls of those who were killed in the bus tragedy.

Om Namo Amithaba Buddha.................

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