Balloons swaying in SKE Wesak 马六甲 卫塞节 2012

Procession, once a decade, not just enlighten all but draws artistic innovation of historic inception.  The idea of balloons is now 230 years old.

Sitting by a fire, Joseph Montgolfier and his brother saw smoke billowing from the fire. It was 1782. The idea was experimented and a year later, the first hydrogen balloon remained in the air for hours.

Balloon art is applied in the decoration work of a float that participated in the Wesak Day Procession in Melaka . The dragon fire ball led the yellow dragon. The dragon fire ball is a huge balloon. As the dragon ball speed, the dragon is allured by the fire ball.

In the endless pursue of the fire ball, the dragon sway along the journey from Gajah Berang Road, ascending over the Melaka River to maneuvering dances within Dataran Pahlawan, Mahkota Parade and Hatten Square before sneaking into the road named after the Hindu prince, Parameswara. 

Existing from the heritage Parameswara Road, the yellow ballons-scaled dragon quickly floated through Thamby Abdullah Road to reach another heritage road, Admiral Zheng He Road. 


Still swaying, the dragon charm its hind subjects with huge golden claws which moved back and forth, to and fro. The dragon proceeded along the foothill of the famous China Hill and continue swaying through Munshi Abdullah Road, the legendary warrior Hang Tuah Road and disappeared into Gajah Berang.

Along with this dragon, thousands walk the Path on that Full Moon Day.

The Buddha says:

By Ourselves is Evil done

By Ourselves We pain endure

By Ourselves We cease from wrong

By Ourselves become We pure

No one save Us but Ourselves

No one can and no one may

We Ourselves must walk the Path

Buddha merely show the Way.