Thursday August 12, 2010
Punters hope to strike it rich at new grave sites
MORE than 200 punters went to a Chinese cemetery in Singapore to offer prayers to the deceased and to get lucky numbers in conjunction with the first day of the Hungry Ghost Festival on Tuesday, Sin Chew Daily reported yesterday. The punters were not fearful even though it was the day when the gates of hell were opened for hungry ghosts to leave.
They brought along prayer items and arrived at the cemetery in groups at night. The daily reported that based on a Taoist master’s advice, many placed prayer items at new graves as the belief is that the recently departed would be able to give numbers. After praying, punters were seen taking out small papers with numbers written on them.
The daily reported that when they secured a set of four numbers, punters would write them on a piece of red paper to verify if they were given by the deceased. If they were to win a lottery with the numbers given, punters would return with more prayer items and food to offer to the deceased, the daily reported.
