Thaipusam: The Tamil Festival of Hindu Devotion

Thaipusam is a South Indian Tamil religious celebration where Hindus offer thanksgiving to Lord Subramaniam, often referred to as Lord Murugan. Lord Murugan, son of Shiva and the Hindu God of War, gets showered with gifts, prayers and personal sacrifice in exchange to remove the body of bad traits. Devotees dress in orange and yellow, the colours associated with the deity, and pitchers of milk as an offering are often carried on people’s heads. The world’s largest Thaipusam festival takes place in Kuala Lumpur at Batu Caves, attracting over one million worshippers and tens of thousands of tourists.

The most striking part of Thaipusam festival relates to the suffering people put themselves through for Lord Murugan’s blessings. Some fast or just carry pots of milk, while others pierce their skin or carry Kavadi, or burden. The Thaipusam festival begins early in the morning before sunrise. Prayers are made to Lord Murugan to ask for forgiveness, recovery from an illness or even to help a couple conceive a child. In return, the devotee will make a sacrifice. Those taking part in the more extreme Kavadi follow a special diet and refrain from sex and pleasurable activities for a period of time before the event itself.

From having needles pressed through the tongue and cheeks to carrying large objects attached to the body by skewers, the people who participate in carrying Kavadi are highly respected and honoured. Tongue and cheek piercing symbolise the sacrifice of giving up speech and talking. Those with the large Kavadi, of which some can weigh up to 30 kilograms (66 pounds), experience extreme suffering. Before the pilgrimage, a series of drums and chants drive the devotees into a trance-like state before piercing. Some say they don’t feel any discomfort. Others claim the punishing pain purifies their soul and rids their body of sin. Either way, the Tamil worshippers go to great lengths to honour Lord Murugan.

Starting at around 5:00am and lasting until late at night, the Thaipusam festival in Malaysia is an epic and once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience. Tens of thousands of tourists attend the somewhat chaotic event filled with colour, music, drums and chanting. Many say Malaysia’s Thaipusam festival resembles a carnival with gold and silver chariots passing through the streets along with endless streams of devotees. The Tamils climb the 272 steps at Batu Caves before the piercings and kavadi are finally removed. As a tourist, expect to watch as the people performing various types of sacrifice climb up the steep steps to pay pilgrimage and honour the Lord Murugan deity.

Given that more than one million people attend the Thaipusam festival, Batu Caves get overwhelmingly busy and crowded. Expect accommodation to fill up weeks in advance. Public transport to and from the caves will be bursting with people. It’s advisable to arrive at Batu Caves early. The fastest way is to take the Commuter Train (KTM) to Batu Caves from KL Sentral. After arriving, expect hot and sticky conditions and remember to stay hydrated. Tourists should also keep their distance from the procession to avoid interfering with the devotees, especially those with bulky and heavy kavadi attached to their skin. Persevere and tolerate the conditions of Thaipusam festival and be rewarded with a cultural experience unlike no other in Malaysia.