Thaipusam 2016

Thaipusam is a Hindu religious festival that takes place through the streets of Singapore (and a number of other cities in the region) each year. It is mostly celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (January / February) and whilst it is a big occasion for the community, it is also a real sight to be seen! With my new camera in tow, and having seen a little bit of the festival last year, I knew that I wanted to go and try and get a few good shots, and Nick was really keen to join.

During the procession from one large temple to another, devotees (who have been preparing through cleansing and fasting throughout the previous month) participate in what’s called the Kavadi Attam (or “Burden Dance”).

This means that huge heavy structures of wood and mental and pierces mounted over the devotees, with metal rods sticking through their flesh to support them. Most of them also had skewered metal through their cheeks and tongue, and added weights hanging from hooks off their skin.      

            Some other devotees have long chains hooked into their skin, which they then use to drag shrines along behind them, with friends and family helping to keep the chains from dragging on the ground or tangling.

Nick and I had been to the festival before, and we knew what to expect, but we didn’t last for very long before it all became a bit overwhelming and we had to escape the heat and intensity for the safety of home, air-conditioning and tea.

            It’s always amazing to see the celebrations and festivals of other communities in such amazing colour and bustle, but it’s also a real eye opener. It wasn’t the sort of thing that you might see on your average weekend in the UK.