Thousands of people across Vietnam have set out for pagodas and temples to attend a ceremony for peace; several even starving themselves to get a place for the ritual.
Overcrowded pagoda in early morning
On January 14 and 15 of Lunar New Year, many people have a habit of praying for peace and good luck for their families for the whole year. This is the reason why almost all big pagodas and temples in big cities like Hanoi and HCM City are overcrowded.
In order to get a place to attend such ceremony to get rid of the bad luck at Phuc Khanh pagoda in Hanoi’s Dong Da District, many people arrived in the pagoda from dawn without having meal in advance.
Phuc Khanh Pagoda, for example, attracted much more prayers than the previous years.
At 3pm, on the afternoon of February 5, the pagoda’s campus was crowded. When the ceremony started, at 7pm on the same day, the whole of Tay Son Road was crowded with traffic Thousands just watched the ceremony from outside.
Overcrowding was also recorded at many big pagodas in HCM City like Giac Lam, Giac Vien, Phung Son, and Hoi Son.
Vo Hong Bao, 29, from HCM City’s Tan Binh District, said, “I went to the Vinh Nghiem pagoda very early to pray for fortune and peace for the whole year.”
Photos taken at Phuc Khanh pagoda in Hanoi:
All paths inside the pagoda filled
Waiting for the ceremony to start
Crowds outside the pagoda
Tay Son Street was tight with traffic
Visitors from outside Hanoi added to the overcrowding
Office stairs nearby the pagoda became useful for praying
Praying from Nga Tu So Bridge
Children joined in
Prayers added to danger
Environmental aftermath
Crowded Phuc Nghiem pagoda
Praying for fortune and peace
Ready to welcome visitors
Hoping for a good year
Money donation table
Bringing ‘wealth’ home
A note of wishes