Prayer altars are a fairly common sight in a multicultural society like Singapore, especially along HDB corridors. Treating them with respect is necessary to co-exist as a harmonious community.
This issue was brought up when a TikTok of a man taking offerings from an altar went viral.
In the short clip, he takes the fruits on the altar twice – but not without uttering a prayer first.
Instead of criticising his actions, many have praised the respect he showed by praying to the altar before taking the offerings.
A TikTok user posted footage of the incident to the social media platform on 11 Sep.
In the video, a man stops at an altar in an HDB corridor. He takes an apple from it and appears to say a little prayer before continuing on his way.
Source: TikTok
The man then returns later, praying for a little longer before taking the rest of the fruits.
Source: TikTok
According to a timestamp on the video, the incident occurred on 11 Sep at around 1.05am. The OP seems to have taken a light-hearted view, joking that at least the man had ‘(asked) permission from God’.
The video has become quickly viral, amassing more than 400,000 views on TikTok.
Many users have come to the man’s defence, pointing out that he did display the appropriate amount of respect by praying before taking the offerings.
Source: TikTok
Others noted that the food would have gone to waste if it had been left alone, urging the OP not to shame him for his actions.
Source: TikTok
A user also said the man may be following a tradition in Hinduism, which allows for devotees to share offerings as long as the owner gives permission.
Source: TikTok
There were those, including the OP himself, who suggested that the man’s situation may be dire if he resorted to taking altar offerings.
Source: TikTok
As such, they’ve urged residents in the area to render their assistance.
If he is indeed in need of some help, perhaps the attention the video has received will enable him to receive it.
Either way, it’s gratifying to see netizens supporting him, proving that the kampung spirit is still very much alive in Singapore.
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Featured image adapted from TikTok.
The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required, MFA said.
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The toasts were barely a few centimetres thick.