Thaipusam 2006

This post is a little late but I have good reasons. Had to do a little research work so that I could share more about this festival thus the delay!! Anyways, a little bit about Thaipusam. I pasted some info here but the pictures are mine, taken on 10 February 2006 during the festival.

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival in honour of Lord Subramaniam, son of Shiva, and is a day of purification and penance during which devotees make offerings of thanks for blessings received through fulfilment of vows.

Picture: Devotee carrying a kavadi

The festival centres on the two-mile (4km) procession of penitents who carry ‘kavadis’ (large wood or metal frames) hung with offerings such as milk, honey or flowers and decorated with bells and peacock feathers. These loaded shrines are gruesomely supported by heavy spikes, hooks and barbs driven into their bodies, and some participants pierce their tongues and cheeks with skewers and spikes. Supporters will gather around the devotees chanting prayers and encouraging them along the way. Devotees undergo a period of spiritual preparation before the procession and enter a trance-like state in order to tolerate the pain involved.

Picture: Devotees carrying milk pot and walking barefooted.

Found a site where a guy who sharesd his Thaipusam experience. Here's a little bit from his site:

The piercing of vel originated from India but however Singapore kavadis are designed to be attached with 108 hooks. So therefore a standard big kavadi comes with 108 hooks/spikes,1 for the head vel,1 cheek vel & 1 tongue vel.
Reasons behind different piercings:

• For the head – the most prominent part of ones body, only people with high supernatural power can realise it.

• "Mounam" – the act of piercing the cheek and tongue - is the greatest thing to observe. People do this to punish themselves for harsh talk and to prevent harsh talk.

Go check out his site for an interesting read about this festival.

Here are more pictures from that day:

Picture: One of the more colourful kavadis I saw on that day.

Picture: Think this guy wasn't too pleased with me taking shots of him.

Picture: At one particular stop, the devotees had their feet washed. A cleansing ritual I am assuming.

Picture: Was speechless when I saw this. He is walking on spike slippers. And on his back, he had some hooks attached to a chariot that he was pulling. Truly a sight to behold!!

Picture: This little boy was also carrying a smaller kavadi but minus the hooks.
He looked like he was doing good and enjoying it :o)

Picture: At the stop where feet get washed, the kavadi bearers also
did a little dance, like a celebratory dance.

Please let me know if you have more information about the pictures cuz I would love to add on more...like the significance of some of the rituals etc. Also have a movie clip of the dance and it's quite awesome. Email me if you want a copy of it while I try and figure out how to include it in this blog. And if you know how to include a movie clip here...share!