Thaipusam

Thaipusam is a religious festival celebrated by Tamil speaking Hindus. During the festival, devotees gather to make an offering of milk to Lord Murukan. They fulfill their vow by carrying a kavadi along a 4 km journey. A kavadi can be a simple milk pot or an intricate metal structure pierced into the body. Skewers often pierce the tongue and cheeks. The devotees have prepared their bodies and minds for the previous 40 days by fasting, abstaining from sex, prayers and meditations. Many appear to be in a trance.
Jane and I, and Alona, woke very early (yes, there was a whole lot of sputtering; no, not from Alona) last Saturday morning to join the Americans Woman's Association for this exciting tour led by a local guide. Fortunately, one drink stall was open at the Newton Hawker Centre so we could enjoy our local ginger tea for me, and a milo for Jane. A van took us to a temple in Little India where the devotees were being pierced. Although there was no blood, we turned our heads away often. We followed along the procession for awhile then boarded our van to the temple where the offering was made and the kavadi removed. It was very loud and crowded. Lots of chanting, music, eating and celebrating.
The first thing we did when we returned home was wash our feet. We could not enter the temples with foot wear on, and we didn't want to miss any of that body piercing. Leah had an early morning softball game and Evan was at ESPN, so they missed out. Jane still wasn't happy to be out of the house so early on a weekend, but she will admit this was a religious and cultural event unlike any other.
Love to all~
Lauren