INVOKING THE SPIRITS: The monks offering prayers and performing the ritual on the river bank. — Bernama photo
SPIRITUAL HELP: The three Buddhist monks specially brought in from Thailand to help in the search. — Bernama photo
BELAGA: On the ninth day of the search and rescue (SAR) operation for victims of the Kawan Mas express boat which sank in the Rajang River last week, three Buddhist monks who were brought in from Wan Velurachin, Thonburi, Bangkok are also participating in the search.
The three monks, Phra Maha Lamphua, 44, Phra Maha Precha, 41, and led by Phra Maha Songsak, 69, arrived on June 3 and was brought by the boat owner to help out in searching for the victims according to Buddhist belief.
According to Phra Maha Songsak, rituals are performed to ask for help from the ‘Mountain God’ and ‘River God’ to release and transfer the spirit of the victims, who are believed to be dead, to ‘heaven’.
The one-hour ritual, starting with items including oranges, apples, paper shirts and shoes, biscuits, sweets, mineral water, rum, and three million ‘Hell Money’ as ‘money hostages’ and joss sticks burnt beside the river.
This would be followed by mantra recitation led by Phra Maha Songsak with two other monks and accompanied by representatives of boat owners, Neo Keat Seng and his wife.
Ropes were then placed on Hell Money banknotes, and held by the three monks, before incanted mineral water and rum were poured on the riverbanks.
The mantra recitation continued before the ritual ended with money, clothes and shoes all made from paper, burned and Phra Maha Songsak sowing flower petals into the river. — Bernama