The entrance to the cave. Devotees have to carry the Kavadis up the 272 steps to reach the temples inside the cave.
Besides Kavadis, milk pots are also used as a form of offering to the God.
The devotees are usually in a trance-like state.
Some Kavadis are escorted by a band of drummers.
Thaipusam is a very colorful celebration.
And the Kavadis are beautifully decorated.
With a lot of dancing. Even those carrying Kavadis.
Not exactly sure what the ashes are for.
Followed the procession up the 272 steps to the cave. There were about half a million photographers on that day.
A friend told me that he saw a photographer getting kicked by a devotee because he refused to stop taking photographs after the latter told him not to. I think photographers should have proper ethics when covering events such as this. It's basic courtesy. They should not in any way interfere with the celebrations and should respect the needs of the people there. Truly disappointing to hear something like this happen. The idiot deserves it, whoever he is.
Carrying the Kavadi up. Sometimes they have to take a rest. There's always someone nearby with a chair.
From the entrance of the cave, you can see a sea of people queuing to pray. It's seriously packed and if you're stuck in the middle, you'll be there for a long time.
From the top looking down. The number of people here is uncountable.
I was actually stuck in the crowd for almost an hour.
At the very top, there's a place where devotees break coconuts and perform a ritual.
As with all big scale celebrations/gatherings, there are always medical and military personnel nearby. So even though the number of people there were unimaginable, the situation was very well under control.
I did however see someone being carried down on a stretcher.
This boy was sitting on top of a Kavadi being pulled along by someone in front.
Thaipusam is famous for piercings and pain. So don't come back here tomorrow if you don't want to see gruesome mutilation of the human body. You have been warned.
About Me
