Big Needles, Blood, Pain, and Celebration!

One week and one day ago - on Sunday, February 8th - at the Batu Caves outside of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a remarkable and jaw-dropping festival took place. Actually, it’s an annual religious (Hindu) event called Thaipusam. It’s a 3-day celebration rooted in religious obligation, repentance, and debt bondage. You can read more on the origins and meaning of the festival here. On February 10th, 2006, I was there to witness Thaipusam first hand; one of the coolest celebrations of which men partake. Some of what I saw is posted below.

First, a video compilation of some of the photos I took:


Now here is a video of a youth group providing music for the devotees participating in the festival (please excuse the poor sound quality):

Lastly, this is a short clip of a woman doing something interesting with her tongue:

For the majority of people who attend this festival (or look at pictures/videos online), most striking is the practice of devotees jamming skewers through their cheeks and thrusting hooks through their faces and backs. But something this blog, or any blog for that matter, can not convey about Thaipusam is the fragrance that radiated from the food stalls selling rice and curry, the crunch that came from the mouths of the kids eating murukku, or the goose bumps that emerged on my skin like waves of an invading army fitted with guns of awe. The vitality of the drums and the dynamism of this celebration are things that should not be missed in one’s lifetime. This is the wonder of travel.