Thaipusam Celebration at Batu Caves

In Malaysia, the Thaipusam Festival is celebrated on the 17^th January 2014, a day of the full moon. So what is really the meaning of Thaipusam. A quick search revealed that Thaipusam is an important festival observed by the Hindus of southern India during the Tamil month of Thai (January-February).

Thaipusam is a day of celebration dedicated to the Hindu God Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati. It was believed that Goddess Parvati presented a golden spear to Lord Murugan to vanquish the demon army of Tarakasura and combat their evil deeds.  So Thaipusam is actually a celebration of the victory of good over evil.

The attraction of this traditional festival has drawn in visitors both local and abroad. The photography community in Malaysia has been fascinated with this festival for many years. 

Each year, we see a growing numbers of photographers from professionals, amateurs and newbies to this fascinating event. And of course, not forgetting that it is also a major tourist attraction. 

For this year, it's another exciting year to capture the bustling activities of this religious congregation of devotees. Though the preparation of the festival began more than a month ago, it all culminate on this day of the full moon where the blessing from Lord Murugan is at it's peak.

So to mark this day of penance and thanksgivings, Hindu devotees will pierce their body with metal skewers and carry pots of milk on their heads as offering to Lord Murugan.  During the ceremonial worship, some devotees will carry Kavadi that is decorated with flowers and peacock feathers.  In preparation for the procession, devotees will shave their head bald and began a cleansing ritual or bath in the nearby river.  Thereafter, the devotees will make their way to the Temple Cave and climb the 272-step stairway up to the temple.

The Kavadi is a form of ceremonial offering that emphasizes on the devotees’ debt bondage.   So generally, Hindus take a vow to offer kavadi as a purpose of tiding over a great calamity.

The simplest kavadi is a semi-circular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders to the temple.

There are devotees that go to the extreme as to torture their bodies to appease the Lord. Therefore, the major attraction of Thaipusam is body piercing with hooks, skewers and small spears called 'vel'. Some will pull chariots with hooks stuck to their back and spear piercing through their tongue and cheek which prevent him from speaking and gives him great power of endurance.

Devotees will enter into a trance during such piercing rituals due to the incessant drumming and chanting of 'vel vel shakti vel' . They are blessed by the priests and there are no blood during these piercing rituals.

Happy Winter Solstice

The winter solstice is a major festival celebrated in the West and East. The solstice marks the beginning of winter and has been celebrated for thousands of years.

  

In the UK, the winter solstice is a major pagan festival, with rituals of rebirth as revelers gather at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise.   In ancient times, the winter solstice celebration is to mark the last day of the Mayan calendar, signaling the end of the world.

However, the world did not end so today is a celebration to mark the rebirth of a new year!

The question of whether the Stonehenge was built to celebrate the winter solstice remains a mystery till today.  That is one expert’s theory, but there are several theories as to why the stone structure was built, include that it was a temple of worship to the Sun; an ancient royal burial ground; or as an astronomical observatory. But none of these theories has been proven true so the Stonehenge remains a mystery.

While in China, the winter solstice is celebrated in the Dongzhi Festival (the arrival of winter). This year the festival falls on Sunday, 22^nd December 2013.

Traditionally, the Chinese family will get together and one of the fun activities is the making and eating of tangyuan or glutinous rice balls, which symbolize reunion.

In Malaysia, the winter solstice festival is better known as the Tang Yuan festival.  Tang Yuan are made of glutinous rice flour and mostly in bright colors of red, pink or yellow.  They are served in an aromatic soup made of brown sugar, water and seasoned with pandan leaves and ginger.