Unlike previous years, a number of temples in Jakarta and Tangerang will celebrate Cap Go Meh on Sunday without festive parades.Instead, the closing celebration of the Lunar New Year will be held in some shopping malls and exhibition centers across the city. Cap Go Meh is held on the 15th day after Chinese New Year, or Imlek.“There will be no barongsay (lion dance) tomorrow, but we expect to see many worshippers tonight, with the peak tomorrow. Last year, it was difficult to move inside the temple,” Yayang, a caretaker of Dharma Bhakti temple, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
The historical temple that was built in 1650 was filled with white smoke that came from burning joss sticks and papers. Bundles of joss sticks were piled up next to the high cashier table, which was surrounded by worshippers who had come to pray. Meanwhile, dozens of seasonal beggars were sitting in the alley and front yard of the temple, hoping for some handouts.“I always come here on Imlek and Cap Go Meh, although this temple is far from my house in Kapuk in North Jakarta.
I pray for smooth business and hope to be far away from bad luck,” Mimi, an owner of an electricity shop, told the Post. Hartanto, the administration officer at Toa Se Bio temple, said the temple would not hold a parade of toapekong [miniature statues of gods and goddesses] because it had held the parade six months ago to celebrate its anniversary. However, the temple will invite a fortune-teller on Sunday afternoon.“The fortune-teller will undergo a ritual of spirit possession before he foresees things that may happen in the Year of the Water Snake,” he said.
Residents last saw a merry celebration of Cap Go Meh in Glodok in 2010, when thousands of participants took part in the annual parade that ended the festivities of Chinese New Year. The festivities, which later caused traffic jams, involved the parades of toapekong, liong (dragon dance) and barongsai. Although only a few parades can be seen on the streets, some shopping malls will try to entertain their visitors with Cap Go Meh festivities. Plaza Semanggi shopping mall in Central Jakarta will place a huge billboard at its front, inviting visitors to watch its barongsai on Sunday afternoon, while Emporium Pluit Mall in North Jakarta will hold a four-day festival including live music.
Jakarta International Expo (JI Expo) in Kemayoran is expecting two thousand visitors during the Cap Go Meh festival that will last until Sunday. It will present barongsai attractions, Chinese-related culture competitions, discount sales and a culinary festival. Meanwhile, thousands of ethnic Chinese flocked to Balekota Mall on Jl. Sudirman, Tangerang municipality, to enjoy a three-day Cap Go Meh festival that started on Friday. “The annual festival is jointly held by the High Council of Confucianism in Indonesia [Matakin] and Perguruan Setia Dharma,” said Rudi Gunawijaya, a member of the organizing committee, on Saturday.
“Visitors from various regions in Banten and Greater Jakarta came to Balekota Mall to pray for the gods of the Earth for better fortune and for soul mates,” he said. The organizing committee prepared some entertainment, including traditional dances, Betawi traditional music — Gambang Kromong — culinary treats, fashion products, Chinese accessories, medicines and even fortune-tellers. Chinese dry food product exhibitions, a photo gallery featuring the life of old Cina Benteng (Chinese of the Fort), the Cina Benteng wedding tradition and a talk show about the Year of the Water Snake were also featured.
source : the jakarta post
source : the jakarta post
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