Start the new year with a blessing-shower

Last minute decision to call-off the Friday work and sped up to Hatyai at 4.30pm on 2 January 2009. Reached Bukit Kayu Hitam border at 8.30pm. Impossible? Of course can. My baby Honda City V-Tech just can prove it. Its the second time she took us to Hatyai with speed at 150-160 km/hr. Superb smooth transition and holding power. A cruise indeed. Even our Thai driver friend was, again, surprised we arrived one hour earlier than he estimated. Yeah, he's gonna be surprised again the next time we go by this middle of the year.

This is Wat Kotsum, Hatyai, our regular wat (temple) for blessing-shower. Look, a new cat joined residence. Lucky cat to take shelter in a wat. Never go hungry or wet in rain or living in fear of rundown by passing vehicles. Buddha, please bless this fella.

A group of all-male visitors already came in ahead of us. It was only 9am. At the center sits the chief abbot of the wat in deep recitation.

Its been raining non-stop since the hour we reached Hatyai. Its our first blessing-shower in rain out of eight years of visitation. The temperature of the day was around 31 degree. Mind you, we are in a tropical country.

Just imagine being pour cold water from head down at 6am in the morning before going to work - that's how it felt for these guys and all of our. Each person had a pale of blessing-combo consisted of 5 types of flower, some limes, lotus and monk's blessing. After chanting session ended, devotees proceeded to the porch with their pales for the shower session. The monk emptied the blessing water completely onto each individual coupled with more chantings.

The same ritual was done to us too. We prayed for better business opportunities and quickly get a baby.

Tip: Do not go on a weekend or near festives. This place would be overly crowded and you can forget about the shower.