Explosion of colors, spicy piercing and mental dances on the streets – it was insane! Thaipusam is a Hindu festival, definitely the weirdest festival I have ever seen. I couldn’t believe all those people carry heavy items on attached to their skin, until I saw it with my own eyes. I went to one little square with massive piercing which was as shocking as the rest of the events. Let me show you what I have seen.
What is Thaipusam?
No joke. All these items are pinned directly to his skin and arrow goes through his mouth.
The Festival is celebrated during the full moon of the 10th month in the Hindu calendar. It is mainly observed in countries where there is a significant presence of Tamil community such as southern India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa and other places. That explains why I haven’t seen it in India, being there in the same period, few years ago – I was just not in the right regions. Glad I could see it in Penang, Malaysia and can advise this place to everyone.
Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam, which is at its highest point during the festival. It commemorates the occasion when Parvati (the Hindu goddess of fertility, love, devotion, divine strength and power) gave Murugan (the universal granter of wishes) a spear – the vel – so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. So at Thaipusam devotees pray to Murugan to receive his grace and favours and to do act of penance.
First day – when coconuts juice was all over my body
On the first day, a pilgrimage procession takes place to bring the statue of Lord Murugan on a chariot led by kavadis (burdens) to the temple. Whilst the bulls are resting devotees pass trays laden with fruit, flowers and incense up to the priests on the chariot to get a blessing. Two decorated bulls pull the chariot and tons of coconuts are smashed in front of it. Why is that huge waste taking place, I asked. The answer is: to cleanse the road… I leave ancient rituals and old traditions with no comment. There were even labels on some of the coconuts for ownership purposes… Just after the chariot approached service cleaned the coconuts pills from the way. I was invited to contribute to the big mess and food waste, and smashed one coco with joy…
Me in front of a chariot where people leave their offerings and prayers.
Second day – when men pierced their bodies
On the second day devotees go through a physical endurance of being skewered and pierced on the back and front of their bodies. You ask why? It’s an act of penance, but different religions express it in different ways. Huge hooks on the back, some on the chest, arrows going through cheeks and tongue. Ropes attached to the hooks on the back were used to pull a friend, or a small wagon, behind them. Others will carry small milk pots pierced to their bodies by another hooks. I have never seen so much piercing in my whole life.
All the pierced men went through so much pain and looked like under delusion. Some people say they also fast for two weeks prior the holiday. That sounds like a way too much to be possible. On the other hand, if someone would tell me that guys skewer their bodies to bring milk to the temple I also wouldn’t believe, if I wouldn’t see it with my own eyes.
Anyway, when they got ready with painful body decorations, they could begin the way towards the temple with crazy dance and spinning. All accompanied with the scream “vel” – spear and loud drums. Streets looked mental!
Some of the men wear elaborate kavadi consisting of two semicircular pieces of wood or steel attached to a cross structure that can be balanced on their shoulders and usually connected to their bodies with hooks. They often have flowers and peacock feathers decorations. Some can weigh up to 30 kg! The most spectacular ones are up to two meters tall and attached to the devotee through 108 hooks pierced into the skin on the chest and back.
Reaching the final temple and milk delivery
Thunderous loud music, singing, dancing and the beating of drums of devotional songs are the norm during this festival. Women were wearing their good saris, and everything looked so colourful and pretty. Upon reaching the temple, devotees will fulfil their vows, offer thanksgiving prayers and do penance as required.
Temple, where all devotees were heading, was few miles away from the starting point. I can’t imagine how all those pierced guys made it there. Moreover temple was on the top of the hill with 512 steps. All the way to the temple each of the devotees, man, woman or child, carry milk. Some have silver pot, special for this celebration, some simple box of milk from the supermarket. Once they reach the temple all the milk, which has been carried, ends up in the large containers. Locals say, that all those hectoliters of milk used to flow down the hill as a stream, but this tradition is no more cultivated. Cannot imagine this scene! On the way down from the temple some men and women shave their head and put yellow sulphurous paste on the scalp.
Third day – return
On the third day the chariots are pulled back the same way. Thanks God, all the devotees survived, all the pierced men had his piercing removed and hopefully all their wishes will come true.
Thank you Hindu tradition to bring me to this extremely colorful event out of this planet. It was weird, shocking but unforgettable experience. Now, that you know why and what happens during the festival, I invite you to watch the compilation of videos from Thaipusam and photo gallery. Don’t watch, if you are sensitive to this type of scenes.
Silver Chariot traveling all the way to the temple
Indian women are dressed in their good saris for Thaipusam
Piercing
Piercing rituals
Pierced men dancing on the street
Small pots hooked to his skin have milk inside to bring to the god
The Bee is a nature lover and tea addict. Loves the idea of slow life and responsible traveling, constantly trying to improve to bee more eco-friendly. Appreciates old cultures and traditions, loves to immerse with locals, listen to ethnic music as well as taste regional food and drinks. Her favorite spots while traveling are family houses and street markets.
On one hand, it’d be interesting to just see how that felt to be pierced and pull something for a few feet. On the other, a few miles? Dang. Props to them. Well, Europeans used to practice regular self-flagellation, so to each their own, I guess.
In my eyes, piercing looked painful, but once they were done, they began the crazy dance accompanied with loud drums and they all seamed to be in another state of mind, like high. 😀
To musiało być musiało być niezwykłe przeżycie zobaczyć ten festiwal na.żywo😀
Zdecydowanie robił wrażenie, sama nie wierzyłam w to, co widzę
Pierwszy raz słyszę o tej tradycji. Rzeka kokosowego mleka jest tutaj dla mnie najciekawszym elementem.
Rzeki już nie ma, ale może to i dobrze. Jestem pewna, że w innych miejscach wciąż można spotkać się z kultywowaniem tej tradycji
That’s soooo interesting! And painful of course! You were very lucky to observe this festival! Great pictures too!
Thanks Valentini, I was lucky indeed.
Intresting but too painful I suppose. Thanks for shearing I haven’t seen this before, only read. The pictures are very authentic.
Niesamowite wrażenie patrząc na te wydarzenia – a co dopiero, jak się w nich uczestniczy 😀
Jak dotąd nie słyszałam o takiej tradycji. Wygląda ciekawie, może kiedyś się wybiorę w tamte rejony 🙂
Dlaczego nie? Warto zaplanować podróż sprawdzając jakie festiwale są po drodze, żeby czegoś spektakularnego przypadkiem nie pominąć
Z jednej strony zachwyca, ale z tej drugiej wolałabym niektórych momentów nie widzieć 😀
Bardzo barwne i kolorowe wydarzenie 🙂
Fajnie tak spojrzeć na inną kulturę i tradycje. Z pewnością jest to niecodzienne i ciekawe przeżycie uczestniczyć w tym festiwalu. Osobiście nie wytrzymałabym patrzenia na to przekłuwanie – kolana miękną 😉
Mi też miękły, ale jak myślałam, że to nie są tortury za karę tylko ich świadomy wybór to wychodziłam z jeszcze większego podziwu na to co się dzieje i oczu nie mogłam oderwać
Dla mnie to jest straszne. Ale pewnie tamtejszej ludności wiele z naszych tradycji tez nie przypadłoby do gustu
Dobrze, że u nas nie musimy tak cierpieć 😀
Bardzo ciekawa relacja o czymś dla Polaka niezwykłym. Od razu widać, że na Wschodzie stare tradycje o wiele lepiej się zachowały niż w Europie. I cóż, marnotrawstwo marnotrawstwem, ale nawet po zdjęciach widać, że jest na co popatrzeć podczas tego festiwalu.
Oj było na co patrzeć, kopara jak opadła tak się nie zamykała przez cały dzień, na to co widziałam
Wow! I never knew such a thing happened but it’s so cool to be able to experience different cultures and see the world through their eyes.
I didn’t knew that festival either, I was just lucky to be in the right lace in the right moment to see it. It was wanderful to see completely different traditions
Rzeczywiście cudaczny festiwal! 🙂
I experienced this festival in Phuket Old Town a couple of years ago. It was a lot of fun. Very colourful ad the vegetarian food stalls all had some amazing offerings. The piercing was what really got me. It’s quite extreme to say the least!
Oh good to know that they celebrate it in Thailand too. :O
not afraid of a little pain…. cool pics… looks like an awesome experience
Have an epic day
ONe of the many interesting Hindu festivals. I have never been to one and I hope to see and experienced another culture festival.
Fingers crosses you will 🙂
Niesamowite wydarzenie! Może kiedyś uda mi się zobaczyć na własne oczy. 🙂
BArdzo ciekawy ten festiwal i ludzie tam. bardzo barwna jest Twoja histiria 🙂
Przerażają mnie te haki i przebite twarze 🙂
Nie będę oryginalna, to musiało byc przezycie, te kolory, ta radośc, ta egzotyka. Oni pewnie też tak by na nas patrzyli z tymi jajami 🙂
mamy mnóstwo ciekawych tradycji z czasów pogaństwa, też wiele nacji by zaskoczyły
I live in chennai, south india… and married to a Tamilian, but I’ve not witnessed. Will need to find out a bit more, and definitely see it this year 🙂
Yeah I have been living in Hyderabad and never even heard of it
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Aż mnie wszystko boli, jak patrzę na te zdjęcia 😮 Co nie zmienia faktu, że odkrywanie tak odmiennych kultur jest fascynujące 🙂
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!Thaipusam equals Hellraiser!
All these body piercings came from us and its only beginning, for we are the Cenobites and we want to do this and more for eternity, you devotees, your reward will be in the Labyrinth and it will be sado-maso for eternity reaching whole new levels forever!