Water gourd - Hor lor/Pulau Kendi | Food, travel, recipe & sights

Water gourd - Hor lor/Pulau Kendi

Some Chinese homes worship deities and their offerings consist of auspicious (sounding in the Hokkien dialect) items like pineapple, mandarin oranges, pumpkin and etc. I managed to capture some photos of the water gourd.

Water gourd is a kind of vegetable but used mostly as a water container. Usually, people will scoop out the inner flesh and dry the gourd. I am not too sure of the significance of the water gourd. However, it is fondly featured in the Journey to the West whereby the Monkey King was caught in one due to his antics. It is also shown in other movies as a gadget to capture ghosts and spirits.

This photo of a huge water gourd is sort of an incinerator. This is from a Chinese temple. The worshippers will burn the gold and silver papers (denotes money) in the water gourd incinerator as an offerings to their deities.
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Fresh water gourds are sold in the market and some families will buy and offer them at their altar. This photo is captured during Chinese New Year, at my sister’s home.
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On the southern tip of Penang, there is a small island called Pulau Kendi. It looks like a water gourd half immersed in the sea. This photo is not very clear due to the hazy condition on the day I was there. It is a small island, mostly rocky with little beaches. (photo taken from Sungai Batu beach, Teluk Kumbar)
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Posted by lilian on May 7th, 2005 under Festivals & Religious

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3 Responses to “Water gourd - Hor lor/Pulau Kendi”

  1. Lrong Says:
    May 8th, 2005 at 2:35 pm

    Have you tasted the gourd before? Wonder how it is like…

  2. lilian Says:
    May 10th, 2005 at 12:41 am

    Never seen anyone eating it. I think it must not be edible.

  3. Malaysia Best » Ever try a durian fritter (cucur durian?) Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:25 pm

    [...] Nice view or not?  Can see the island far away?   It is such a nice thing to do.  Having durian fritters with the family, by the seaside. [...]

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