Chap Goh Meh or “the fifteenth night” marks the last day of the 15-day Chinese New Year celebration which started on January, 26, 2009. The younger generation today sees Chap Goh Meh as the night to toss mandarin oranges into the lake.
Thousands of people, mostly couples, single men and women, and the still-young-at-hearts joined in the fun at the carnival-like atmosphere in Taman Jaya lake garden in Petaling Jaya to celebrate Chap Goh Meh on Monday February 9, 2009.
The event was organized by Young Malaysians Movement (YMM) Petaling District jointly with Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) and Jabatan Belia dan Sukan Negeri Selangor.
The lighted red lanterns lined the lake and park areas but these were not enough to brighten up the place as it was pitch dark at most areas. Understandably Taman Jaya is popular lovers’ haunt come at night and too bright a place would shun away the night lovers but then with a big function like this, given the few thousands expected at the venue, surely the organizer is obliged to install more lighting to brighten up the lake and park areas for obvious safety and security reasons. Only a handful of RELA personnel were seen at the stage area.
There were hip hop dance and Chinese singers rendering Mandarin and Cantonese songs held on an open space stage in the middle of the lake. The highlight of the event was the tossing of mandarin oranges into the lake by unmarried women in the hope that the fruits would be picked up by eligible young men who would be their future spouses.
I have heard that men now toss bananas but I did not see them here. I only saw pretty dressed single ladies carrying plastic bags of oranges with hopeful and smiling look on their faces.
Thousands of people, mostly couples, single men and women, and the still-young-at-hearts joined in the fun at the carnival-like atmosphere in Taman Jaya lake garden in Petaling Jaya to celebrate Chap Goh Meh on Monday February 9, 2009.
The event was organized by Young Malaysians Movement (YMM) Petaling District jointly with Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) and Jabatan Belia dan Sukan Negeri Selangor.
The lighted red lanterns lined the lake and park areas but these were not enough to brighten up the place as it was pitch dark at most areas. Understandably Taman Jaya is popular lovers’ haunt come at night and too bright a place would shun away the night lovers but then with a big function like this, given the few thousands expected at the venue, surely the organizer is obliged to install more lighting to brighten up the lake and park areas for obvious safety and security reasons. Only a handful of RELA personnel were seen at the stage area.
There were hip hop dance and Chinese singers rendering Mandarin and Cantonese songs held on an open space stage in the middle of the lake. The highlight of the event was the tossing of mandarin oranges into the lake by unmarried women in the hope that the fruits would be picked up by eligible young men who would be their future spouses.
I have heard that men now toss bananas but I did not see them here. I only saw pretty dressed single ladies carrying plastic bags of oranges with hopeful and smiling look on their faces.
This man uses a fish net tied onto a long pole to fish out the orange floating on the lake in Taman Jaya. The oranges had earlier been tossed into the lake by single women in search of a partner.
Hey look here! I got this one.
A big crowd watching the Chap Goh Meh tradition at the side of the lake.
Easy does it. Guys patiently fishing for oranges floating on the lake.
The Taman Jaya lake in Petaling Jaya was decorated with lighted red lanterns for the Chap Goh Meh celebration.
Checking for any messages written on this orange that was fished out from the lake.
This man is smiling and hopeful of his catch.
The name and phone number on this orange that was fished out from the lake in Taman Jaya, Petaling Jaya.
Chap Goh Meh is also referred to as Chinese Valentine's Day. Showing your love with roses which are on sale at RM10 per stalk.
Don't mind paying over the expensive price for the roses.
A romantic evening. A song performance by this couple holding hands.
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The crowd watching the performances being put up by the Young Malaysians Movement (YMM) on an open space stage in the middle of the lake.
The crowd watching the performances being put up by the Young Malaysians Movement (YMM) on an open space stage in the middle of the lake.
The Malam Mesra Rakyat Chap Goh Meh banner at the Taman Jaya lake garden.
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