Thaipusan @ Batu Caves

I’m happy because this is a four day workweek. I get Thursday off. Malaysia is a multi-cultural country that reminds me a lot of Canada. I get all these awesome holidays. This week Thaipusam and just over two weeks from now it’s Chinese New Year.

Anyways, I thought I’d post some pictures about what makes this holiday so special. Unfortunately, I won’t be going because I don’t enjoy being in large crowds. It seems like it would be pretty cool to see though. Please read my cut and paste job below.

The Thaipusam festival.Every year, on Thaipusam, as many as 800,000 devotees and other visitors may throng the caves. As a form of penance or sacrifice, many of them carry kavadis (literally, "burden," such as a pitcher or jug). These are large, brightly decorated frameworks, usually combined with various metal hooks and skewers which are used to pierce the skin, cheeks and tongue. By doing this penance they expect some favours from their Gods.The festival is held in the tenth month of the Hindu calendar (mostly the end of January).




The procession starts on the evening before the Thaipusam festival at the Sri Mariamman Temple in the town centre of Kuala Lumpur.By doing penance they want to extort some favours from the Gods.
The kavadis is placed on the shoulders of the devotee. The kavadis represents a miniature shrine.Women carry a silver jug full of milk on their heads, some are pierced through their cheeks and tongues and others not. Chains are dropped from the central body of the kavadis and hooked onto the flesh of the bearer. The length of the spears had to be limited to a metre in consideration for other devotees. Others hook limes, oranges or coconuts onto their bodies. They are always accompanied by an entourage of relatives and friends to make them enthusiastic with dance parades, songs, musicians playing the drums and the flutes.As they arrive at the shrine at the Batu Caves, the Swami removes the hooks, spears etc. The vow is finally fulfilled.
Thaipusam is celebrated at Peninsular of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and on PenangThe procession on Penang starts on the eve before the Thaipusam festival at the Chettiar Temple in Penang Street.