KUCHING: Hundreds of Hindu devotees made their way from the riverbank at Satok Bridge to Sri Srinivasagar Kaliammam Temple at Jalan Ban Hock in a solemn but colourful procession yesterday in conjunction with the celebration of Thaipusam.
RELIGIOUS DEVOTION: Devotees pull a Chariot Kavadi during the procession.
A total of 50 devotees carried Kavadis during the procession, which was part of a four-day programme organised by the temple for Thaipusam.
Thaipusam is celebrated by the Hindus on the
10th month of the Hindu calendar and is held to commemorate the day
Lord Subramaniam (also known as Murugan) received the Shakti Vel from his mother and supreme power (Parvathi) on his birthday.
There are many types of Kavadi, but yesterday’s procession saw a number of Paal Kavadi, where offerings of fruits, milk and jaggery (syrup) were placed on each Kavadi and carried by the Kavadi bearers on their shoulders and also the Alagu Kavadi, where devotees fastened their bodies with metal hooks and spikes embedded in their bare flesh.
Another form of Kavadi at the procession was known as the Ratham-Chariot Kavadi, where a miniature of the chariots used for deities was pulled with
a rope with one end hooked to the bare flesh of the devotees.