Thousands of people jostle at the procession of Lady Binh Duong

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On the afternoon of February 24 (January 15), the palanquin of the Goddess Thien Hau was carried through the streets around the center of Thu Dau Mot City. This is considered the biggest festival in Binh Duong province, attracting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to pray for good luck in the first days of the new year.

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Earlier, from early morning, thousands of people jostled to ask for ashes at the main hall of Thien Hau Pagoda (Phu Cuong Ward, Thu Dau Mot City).

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"Every year I go from Ho Chi Minh City to Binh Duong to visit her and ask for her ashes to pray for peace and luck at the beginning of the year," said Ms. Cuc Hoa (62 years old).

Pilgrims were not only Vietnamese of Chinese origin but also from neighboring provinces. Most people came to Thien Hau Pagoda a day before.

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Crowds of people jostled at the ash collection area, some had to ask others for ash because they couldn't squeeze in.

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According to Buddhist philosophy, the 15th day of the first lunar month (Shangyuan Festival) is the right time to pray for peace for the whole year. On this day, people often go to the temple to make offerings, do good deeds, and pray for peace for themselves and their families...

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At around 2:30 p.m., the temple closed the main hall and invited all residents and visitors to go outside to perform the ceremony before Thien Hau Thanh Mau left the palace.

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After more than an hour of ceremony, Thien Hau Thanh Mau was taken out of the temple and the procession began to march on the street.

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The palanquin of Lady Thien Hau Thanh Mau from the pagoda then moved through Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Bach Dang, Doan Tran Nghiep, Hung Vuong, Cach Mang Thang Tam, Nguyen Du streets then stopped at Lady Thien Hau pagoda.

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The beauty of young girls and fairies in the procession of the Lady.

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The lion dance troupes together stirred up the whole neighborhood.

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Many children were carried on their parents' shoulders to watch the procession.

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"For decades now, every day on this day, the family stops everything to go out on the street to welcome her passing by," said Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thom (83 years old).