THAIPUSAM - in KL - Malaysia

Vetri Vel Muruganukku arohara!!!! - chill out folks, this is not some foreign language. Its my maatru baasha - Tamil. :)

When I first visited batu caves (a tourist spot in KL - Malaysia) , the locals mentioned about Thaipusam. Given the kind of job I am into I was hoping that I get to see this festival live here in KL. And yes, I did, I did get to visit batu caves to see the festival today - 30th Jan 2010.

Tamilians would corelate to this festival,even though I am one - somehow I never expected that this would be such a big festival in KL. Partially because I have never seen this celebrated in bangalore on a big scale.I am not really sure that the pomp, the fervour, the magnitude associated with this in KL can be matched in any of the celebrations in Tamil Nadu. In fact out here in Malaysia it is a national holiday!!!. Not sure even if it is a STATE holiday in TN - India:). Intrestingly I have been told that Penang (north of KL in Malaysia) scores over KL when it comes to the grandeur associated with this festivity:).In Penang as part of the chariot procession, I was informed that millions of coconuts are offered (smashed). And this chariot procession covers a good 10 Km stretch. Oh yes, folks from across the globe do get involved in this festival. Didnt come as a surprise for me to see a few chinese folks accompanying their family folks in the temple premises here in KL.

Thaipusam - is a festival celebrated mostly by tamilians on the full moon day in Thai (one of the months in the tamil calendar). This day also is the birth day of Lord Muruga (Subramanya to some, Mayil Vaganan to some.... ), brother of Lord Ganesha. Folklore has it that devotees celebrate this festival by fullfilling their 'commitments' to god once their wish comes true. Commitments or burdens - well, this is something I had heard of but never seen live.

It was amazing scenes to see devotees (Kavadi bearers) carrying different things as burdens - like - a pot of milk carried on the head, small (maybe upto a meter long!!!) Vel (spear) pierced through the tongue or the cheeks, smaller burdens like lemons, oranges or coconuts hooked (metal hooks) into one’s skin/ flesh on the chest or back. There were other devotees who had bigger hooks attached to their back to pull a cart!!!!!.I did get goosebumps watching all this. The entire burden was being carried all the way on to the top of the hillock. It is believed that the devotees are in a trance and do not feel the pain whatsoever. And yes, the common man does seek blessings from these kavadi bearers.

One intresting thing I noticed was a devotee with cigars hooked up all over his shoulder, chest and back. No clue at all what it was. Truly this has been a mindboggling experience for me here in KL. More pics? - Check out my picasa link - http://picasaweb.google.com/ravi.veeraswamy/THAIPUSAM#

Would I be around here in Malaysia for a visit to Penang for Thaipusam 2011 :) Time will tell.