Thaipusam, Kuala Lumpur

Thaipsuam
Ron and I ventured out on the eve of Thiapusam to see witness the festival where over a million spectators and devotees came over a 5 day period.
Thaipusam is an Indian holy festival where devotees fast (vegetarian) before the festival and then spend all night in thanksgiving for prayers answered during the year. Men line up to have their heads shaved and applying sandalwood to cool themselves. Working themselves into a trance by the river to purify themselves, they then make their way to the entrance of the Batu caves and up the 272 steps to the temple.
Lead by what looks like a small band (beating drums); they smash coconuts and chant "Vel, Vel". Most spectacular of all have to be the kavadi carriers, who subject themselves to body piercing as a sign of devotion. Like firewalkers, the truly devoted manage to pull metal cages, hooked to their backs through bare skin with no signs of pain. Others weigh down their piercing hooks with limes. Some even pierce their tongues and cheeks with spikes (women also do this). The trance-like state is said to prevent them feeling any pain, and later (at the top of the Batu cave steps) hooks and skewers are removed and treated by priests with holy ash and lemon juice, leaving no scarring – adding to the mystery of this frenzy of worship.
Ladies normally carry milk in aluminum pots (pal kudam) on their heads as an offering. Couples, who are thankful for the safe delivery of a child, carry the child in a yellow sarong strung between sugar cane stalks.
it's a 10 minute walk from the river to the entrance of cave. But, it sometimes takes hours depending on the crowd and how much they stop to dance or rest.

Ropes attached to devotees body with hooks through his skin.

woman throwing coconut into fire for cleansing

Lead by drums, devotee carries heavy load topped with peacock feathers. Below, body piercings.

shaving head before

Entrance to Batu caves

women in yellow seeking offerings/donations. Man sitting on a bed of nails and under his feet. Pay him a little and he will offer a prayer for you and put a bracelet around your wrist.

child crying; woman in trance with spear pierced through her mouth.