Thaipusam, Hindu Festival, Marked By Piercings And Painful Rituals In Singapore, Malaysia (PHOTOS)

Thousands of Hindus in both Malaysia and Singapore subjected themselves to painful rituals such as piercing themselves with hooks, skewers and small lances in honor of the Thaipusam festival.

As the AFP is reporting, the colorful celebration is the culmination of a period of both abstinence and fasting, and is observed as a day of thanksgiving and paying penance in commemoration of the day when the Hindu Goddess Pavarthi gave her son Lord Muruga -- the god of war and fertility -- an invincible lance with which he destroyed evil demons.

Hindus believe they are cleansed of all sins and their misdeeds can be redeemed by observing these strict rituals and prayers during Thaipusam. Some devotees carrying heavy ornate structures called kavadis as they walk barefoot, while others have their tongues, cheeks and backs pierced.

See photos of the Thaipusam festival here:

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A Hindu devotee, carrying a Kavadi offering cage, takes part in a procession during the Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur.

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A Hindu devotee, carrying a Kavadi offering cage, takes part in a procession during the Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur.

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Comments

[AntonioSaucedo]

11:11 AM on 01/26/2011

Mnay of my students in the US have more piercings than these people.

[isaidit]

07:24 AM on 01/26/2011

I checked out this festival in KL in '91 for three days straight. I saw an amazing array of mutilations of the body, but didn't see anyone in pain. Still, not my idea of religion, though, but I wouldn't call it 'painful'. It was more painful to my eyes than the participants.

[sirhanrap]

10:03 PM on 01/25/2011

We get "the point"...but only 61 comments in 10 days says it all...ENOUGH of this drivel!

[chaya]

10:52 AM on 01/29/2011

Why do you need comments? Isn't it interesting enough for you to see photographs of another people's religious rites? I thought they were fascinating.

[rjaxone]

01:01 AM on 01/25/2011

I tried that needle deal once when I was in college. All it did for me was soak my masters thesis in blood...

[R U Sirius]

11:05 AM on 01/24/2011

This is looking better than state-imposed fundamentalist 'christianity' to me...

[chaya]

10:52 AM on 01/29/2011

Hallelujah.

[osofar]

05:30 AM on 01/24/2011

"Give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion---is good enough for me"!?!!

[Sam Badger]

08:07 PM on 01/23/2011

Its funny how frightening people in "The West" are by this. You'll find more shockingly pierced people at any random heavy metal concert, at least the people here do it for spiritual purposes.

[Redemption Song II]

11:44 PM on 01/23/2011

...either way it doesn't look particularly healthy (cultural sensitivity--either way--notwithstanding).

[Sam Badger]

04:21 AM on 01/24/2011

Perhaps, but they've been doing ceremonies like this for a long time. I think they know what they are doing. The main thing is avoiding infection. But once you get around that little problem, it's smooth sailing for someone wanting a radical yet painful spiritual experience

[Hirnlego]

08:27 PM on 01/25/2011

Like this?
http://www.nocleansinging.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bicycle1-e1287275068459.jpg

[obelis kreative]

09:00 AM on 01/23/2011

The Force is with them; without it there would be blood and pain.

[phantoma]

07:16 AM on 01/23/2011

Rihanna should totally go there.

[ManiDeli]

11:47 PM on 01/22/2011

Masochism is an important factor in all religions.

[Redemption Song II]

05:09 AM on 01/24/2011

...if it's essential, then preferably symbolic.

[Ramesh Krishnan]

10:52 PM on 01/22/2011

Never fails to astound me...

The festival appears more popular in the diaspora than in the home country.
The piercing has been honed over centuries of rituals and usually do not cause problems..
The statement is that 'Lord my faith on you is enough to bear any pain...'
They are voluntary in that it is done by those who want to. Not mandatory.

Often people take an oath of the Lord for some desirable outcomes..

[NitramNos]

01:15 PM on 01/25/2011

Sometimes old customs are retained longer by emmigrants.

[payal2]

09:05 PM on 01/22/2011

dudes, the religion is hindu---- the language is hindi! :(

[ZenSufi]

10:35 AM on 01/23/2011

Right. And "Thai" isn't even Hindi -- it's Tamil.

[isaidit]

07:27 AM on 01/26/2011

Not in Malaysia, it isn't. It's Tamil. Singapore as well.

[logicanada]

07:07 PM on 01/22/2011

I'd rather be a tackle dummy for the Cowboys.

[Tenjikuronin]

07:45 PM on 01/22/2011

That would be a safer job, seeing how America's Team can't tackle.....lol

[American Air]

01:15 PM on 01/22/2011

Less painful than what the Jack @$$'s do!

[American Air]

01:15 PM on 01/22/2011

Less painful that what the Jack @$$ do!

[NitramNos]

01:16 PM on 01/25/2011

Is there an echo in here?