The procession making its way to Sri Srinivasagar Kaliamman Temple amidst Sunday morning traffic.
KUCHING: After an hour of preparations and prayers at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at Rock Road, the pounding of drums filled the air as one of the first ‘alavu kavadi’ bearers had a ceremonial ‘spear’ driven through his cheeks.
The other devotees and visitors at the Kuching Thaipusam Festival 2016 could not hold back their gasp, attracting more to join the crowd milling around the scene.
The man, now pierced through his cheeks, danced briefly with sinuous moves that vibrated through his entire body. When he calmed down, the attendants closed in on him again, hooking branches of neem leaves to his back in neat rows.
A few feet away, a female devotee garbed in saffron screamed as she entered her trance. Brandishing a branch of neem leaves in one hand and with her tongue protruding, she began to dance to a rhythm echoed by the bells wrapped around her ankles.
Her neighbour began screaming and beating on the tarred parking lot, answering a call only he could hear. Someone handed him a husked coconut, the tuft on top lit like a candle. He cradled it between his palms as he paced and danced in his own world, then hurled it at the ground.
On his back and chest, they arranged rows of small bells. A garland of lime hooked into his shoulders and he was ready to go. Suddenly things seem to be happening very fast. More hooks went through flesh – more leaves, bells and milk pots.
Family members and helpers kept the tranced devotees from meandering off before the procession started. Brightly decorated kavadis were lifted and placed upon shoulders of those fulfilling their pledge for answered prayers.
Lavishly decorated chariots were attached to other devotees by way of four hooks to the back.
Almost without warning, the procession was off. The lighter kavadis and those bearing pots of milk departed speedily, escorted by police outriders. The last chariot to depart Sri Maha Mariamman Temple got caught by the red light in front of Wisma Saberkas, no doubt turning heads of Sunday commuters as the group waited in the weekend traffic.
Their route took them through Jalan Tun Haji Openg, Jalan Crookshank, Lorong Park and finally to Jalan Ban Hock, where Sri Srinivasagar Kaliamman Temple served as their destination.
There, they completed the ceremony by making offerings of milk and fruit to Lord Murugan. As the biggest Hindu celebration in Malaysia, Thaipusam is a celebration of Lord Murugan’s victory over the demon Soorapadman’s tyranny.
A priest performs blessings on the kavadi. — Photos by Muhamad Rais Sanusi
A sizeable crowd made up of the local Indian community and visitors filled the parking lot of the Indian Association of Kuching (IAK) Multipurpose Hall.
Two devotees bearing different types of offering.
Temple priests perform prayers before devotees make their journey on foot to Sri Srinivasagar Kaliamman Temple.