Thaipusam: A Hindu Celebration

WARNING: This post contains graphic images 

Back on January 27th (yes, I'm really behind on my blog), there was the Thaipusam festival in Singapore.  Thaipusam is a Hindu festival dedicated to the god Murugan.  For this celebration, devotees  prepare for 48 days by cleansing themselves through fasting and prayer.  On the day of the festival, the devotees will go on a pilgrimmage with a kavadi (burden).  Sometimes the kavadi can just be carrying a jug of milk on their head but in Singapore, they practice the piercing kind of kavadi.  The piercings are outlawed in many countries but for some reason they allow it here and I got the chance to see it.

The festival started at a temple in Little India where the devotees would cleanse themselves and put on their kavadi before walking 4 km down the road to another temple.  We went to the first temple to watch them put on their kavadis.  What you can't gather from the pictures is the loud drumming going on in the background and the thick smell of incense.  

The devotees are said to be in a trance like state so they feel no pain as they are being pierced and do not bleed.  They are also said to not be left with any scars after the ritual.  There is a special piercing team that helps the devotees so they must do everything just right.

Preparing for their devotee begin putting on the kavadi

A devotee getting these chains/string connected to his body with fish hooks

Every metal object touching his body is piercing his skin.  

Kathy, Shelly, Nicki, and Ed.  Kathy and I were the first timers at the festival.

All of those pins are going in his face 

Almost finished with connecting the chains 

Hooked up (pun intended) and ready to go

More preparations

No words 

Jason was on a business trip so he got to enjoy this with us. 

This was too painful to watch 

Carrying more fruit 

Not only did this guy carry oranges on his back but he did it while wearing spiked shoes

Almost all of them pierce their face like this.  The horizontal spike goes through both cheeks and the tongue.

I am a bit squeamish (or maybe it was the fact I had just come down with a stomach virus) so this was hard for me watch.  I am glad I got the chance to go see it but hopefully will not have to again.  I am in awe of the devotion these people have to their religion.

If you would like to see more on Thaipusam, check out my friend Kathy's Blog.