Crossing Rivers With Rio: Thaipusam: Pain and Devotion

Thaipusam

Wow! frightening* disturbing* eye opening* mind broadening* thought provoking*

I wanted to see and experience this festival mainly because I am a student of the human experience, the human human. I am fascinated by people and what they are all about, what they eat, what they believe.

This did not disappoint! In one day we observed pain in the name of devotion to a god, sacrificial hair cuts in gratitude of illnesses cured, and almost a million people who wanted to see and be a part of it. And eat lots of free curry.

We were shocked to see men and a few women walking around with their bodies covered with everything from limes to small milk vessels to coconuts. They wore huge Kaviti, these big decorative shrine-like things on their bodies and walked for miles in the heat. They pierced their faces with swords, and some had giant hooks stuck through the skin on their back and were pulling other devotees. Each one stopped at every intersection along the procession route and cut a lime in quarters to throw to each of the four points of the intersection to prevent evil from entering the pierced devotee.

If I were better with words, I would paint a more detailed picture, one that would make you fee like you were right there- I'm working on that... for now my photos will give you an idea of our experience.