Beginning of the Festival – Phuket
The afternoon before the festival begins, a great pole at each temple is raised, called the Go Teng pole, with which the gods are invited to descend. At midnight the pole is hung with nine lanterns, signaling the opening of the festival. Two important gods are also invited down at midnight to preside over ceremonies: Yok Ong Hong Tae and Kiew Ong Tai Tae.
Aside from this, there are other ceremonies throughout the festival, notably:
Invocation of the gods Lam Tao, who keeps track of the living, and Pak Tao, who keeps track of the dead
Processions of the gods’ images
Feats of the Ma Shong, such as bathing in hot oil, bladed ladder climbing and fire-walking
The festival ends with merit making ceremonies at each temple (sadoh kroh) and the send-off of the gods on the final night (when fireworks are at their most impressive