Thaipusam

Thaipusam, was held on the 20th of January 2011 in Malaysia.
It is a Hindu festival mostly celebrated by the Tamil community. It was a day when my friends and I wished to get a chance in throwing coconuts. Well, the throw of the coconuts towards the ground to break it, is to clean the road for procession, as a respect to god from a prayer for both wealth and health. Unfortunately, I thought it was on the day of Thaipusam itself so we missed the coconuts throwing event that day. Now I am acknowledged that the coconuts throwing event is held on the day before Thaipusam in Dato Keramat Road.


The Nagarathar Sivan Temple

Despite the feeling of disappointment, we continued our walking journey towards a Hindu temple located nearby which is just a short distance starting from Penang Komtar. To our amazement, we get a chance to watch the entire process of the mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers mostly on the body of the Kavadi-bearers.



The mortification of flash by piercings.

Frankly, at the begining of the process, the Kavadi-bearer seems like being possessed as shown in the third photo. The person was acting strangely before he was calmed down with some sayings by the chief and started the piercings of his body parts. We spent almost an hour watching and trying to understand the entire progress of mortification of flesh piercings. As far as I know, the Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.


There was a flower car stopped just outside the Nagarathar Sivan Temple, fully decorated with different kinds of flowers and statues of Hindu Gods on it.

After spending an hour in the Hindu Temple, we finally headed back to 1st Avenue under the radiating sun to shop for new clothes for Chinese New Year. It was great and eye-opening to have a chance watching the entire mortification of flesh's ceremony.