Batu Caves and Thaipusam Hindu Festival

For both of us the highpoint of the trip, besides getting to know Rene and Lucas, was the Hindu Thaipusam festival held at Batu Caves on the edge of the city. As more than a million worshipers were due to show up from all over Southeast Asia for this annual three day event, we made a preliminary visit to the site a couple of days before the festival began, while it was still relatively uncrowded.

Batu Caves

At the bottom of the hill below the main cave stands a gigantic golden statue of Lord Murugan, a god of war primarily worshipped by Tamil Hindus. We reached the main hillside cavern above, its roof partly open to the sky, by climbing 272 almost vertical steps. Inside, we found a temple, several statues of Hindu gods, a scattering of shaven headed devotees and the ubiquitous monkeys and souvenir stands. Back down the steps, another huge cave had been turned into a museum, its walls lined with Hindu texts and dozens of brightly painted statues of yet more Hindu deities

Thaipusam.

On the festival’s first evening, we watched (up close and personal), as the devout participants, supported by entourages of friends and relatives, after bathing in the nearby murky looking river (outdoor showers were erected for the more fastidious!) were encouraged into self- induced trances. After which, often puffing on a cigar (not narcotic, according to Lucas), these devotees had their cheeks pierced with silver skewers, or their backs pierced with large fishhooks to which various objects such as limes, bells, and bundles of herbs were attached. (Amazingly we saw no blood.) For the more advanced devotees the hooks were attached to large, heavy wooden framed structures decorated with flowers and peacock feathers and carried on their shoulders or in extreme cases to heavy carts laden with flower and brightly painted icons. Aided by supporters of all ages — men, women, the aged, little kids — most carrying silver pots of milk on their heads as offerings to the gods, the pierced devotees made their way from the river to ascend the long flight of steps to the cave and waiting gods above. The long procession was accompanied by music, and much loud chanting and drumming. A powerful spectacle of sight, sound and religious fervour.

Be warned some of these photos are not for the squeamish!