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

Photos taken from pagodas in HCM City:

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

Source: Dtinews