Put Chor Shrine after dark

When the sky turns deep violet, the lights along the gateway and eaves come on together, and the shrine you know by day becomes somewhere else entirely. The red of the columns deepens; the gilding catches the lamplight until the ornament seems to glow from within.

The front steps become a place to pause and look out over the town below, with a cool wind lifting off the sea. On some evenings the sound of drums being rehearsed at a neighbouring shrine drifts up on that same wind.

During the Vegetarian Festival

In the ninth lunar month the shrine is at its brightest and busiest of the year. The nine-coloured flag is raised, devotees dressed in white gather from dawn until late, and processions draw the whole town into the streets.

“By day people come to pray. By night they come to sit and talk. The shrine is both.”One of the shrine's caretakers

Notes for an evening visit

The grounds are well lit but the steps are steep, so comfortable shoes help. If you are photographing, a small tripod is fine in the outer courtyard — please just keep walkways clear and leave the inner hall free of equipment.