Lantern Festival at Rain - Part 2

In conjunction to Lantern Festival, the Penang State Tourism Development and Culture is organizing a Pesta Tanglung with cultural events and performances for all ages at the Esplanade In Action.

Mid Autumn Festival commonly known in Malaysia as the Lantern and Moon Cake Festival is celebrated widely by multi racial society.

There are as many versions of legendary stories told as to why the Chinese community pray to the moon and celebrate this particular night. Out of the many legendary stories, the most interesting and touching is the one involving the fate of beautiful lady Chang-O being lifted to the moon where she was forever immortalizes there. Legend has it that her beauty is at her greatest on this night when the lunar is at its fullest. Thats why moon cake boxes and sales banners are commonly adorned with pictures of her in the traditional Chinese costume.

The Mid Autumn Festival and the Chinese New Year are considered the two most important celebrations in the Chinese calendar. Traditionally, the Mid Autumn Festival is celebrated on a moderately grand scale compare to the Chinese New Year. It is a time for the family members and friends to gather around to glaze and admire the full moon and at the same time savoring moon cakes, mini yams, water caltrops, cracking ground nuts, peeling pomeloes fruit and sipping Chinese tea. As for the children, they will be having a fun time carrying and parading lilted lanterns around the gardens. For some Cantonese family, the ritual includes praying and burning of joss sticks to deities on the night of the festival.

Even it was raining heavily; there are a lot of audience was watching the lantern festival and performances at Esplanade In Action.

Video by Citizen Journalist: Thambi Rajan Rajagopal

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