The
Ghost Festival
Ever watched Disney’s heart-warming 3D animated film called Coco, where a boy is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead on the Mexicans’ Day of the Dead holiday? Well, we celebrate something similar to the Day of the Dead in Phuket. Influenced by a Chinese culture, the Ghost festival, also known as Hungry Ghost Festival, is on the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. On this particular day, ghosts and spirits, including those of decreased ancestors are believed to visit the living and come back home.
And
what exactly do the people do on this day? I’m glad you asked.
People will prepare ritualistic food
such as fish, pork, duck, chicken and fruit and then burn incense and joss
paper, which is believed to pay the travel cost for their decreased ancestors
and so that they will still have good things afterlife. And whilst most people
may eat the food afterwards, some people might not due to their believes.
