Thaipusam: Body piercing to show devotion

Photo of Thaipusam devotee by tajai / June (Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayce/104567964/)

Four percent of Singapore’s population is Hindu.  Thaipusam, which this year falls on Tuesday, February 7,  is an important festival among the tamil-speaking members of this group.  The celebration is rich in legends and honors Murugan, a Hindu deity and son of Shiva and Parvati.  One popular story is that Thaipusam marks the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a spear so that he could vanquish a feared demon.

Thaipusam is perhaps best known for the procession of Hindu devotees who, on the day of the festival, carry a burden called a Kavadi.  Some bear simple Kavadi such as milk jugs, while others pierce their mouth, cheeks, and skin with rods as a demonstration of their faith.  Still other devotees balance large, complex alters boasting colorful displays of flowers, deities, and peacock feathers. These structures are supported by metal hooks and skewers, which pierce the brave participants’ upper bodies.

Well before the festival begins, devotees undertake a regime of mental and physical purification, which includes, among other things, a strict vegetarian diet.  They believe that only when they are free of all distraction can they undertake this pilgrimage without pain. 

Singapore hosts one of the largest Thaipusam festivals in Asia.  The procession begins early in the morning, as devotees carry their Kavadi on a four-kilometer route between the Sri Srinivasa Perumal and Sri Thendayuthapani Temples in Little India.  Family and friends stand by, chanting, praying and drumming to maintain morale during this sacred journey. 

This year, Erik and I plan to get up before dawn to witness this festival firsthand.  Stay tuned for photos of this unique event.

For more information on where to celebrate local holidays in Singapore, visit www.yoursingapore.com.

Bagan, the ancient capital of Myanmar (Burma,) offers visitors a breathtaking view of over 3,000 pagodas situated in a 16-square-mile area.  Built between the 11^th and 13^th centuries, the temples now stand in various states of disrepair.  Unfortunately, much of the renovation since I last visited this lovely spot – 28-years ago – seems to have been undertaken with a noticeable disregard to the original materials used.  For example, the newer mortar is gray and differs substantially in appearance from the reddish hues made with local earth and found in the older structures.   On the positive side, the bats have been removed – as well as the stench of guano – I remembered so well.  The interiors, which were dark and foreboding in my memory, are now swept clean and decorated with newly minted images of Buddha.  If you are traveler, Bagan is a place you must see in your life.  It’s definitely one of my favorites.

Tips:

Most pagodas are accessible by car, but it is much more fun to travel among them via horse cart or rental bike (or a combination of the two).

Best place to view sunrise:   Bulei pagoda

Best place for sunset:  Shwesandaw pagoda

Our guidebook, published in 2009, warns tourists to Myanmar, formerly Burma, not to initiate a discussion of politics with locals.  This advice proved woefully out-of-date in a country where democracy is unfolding, and people are embracing the new openness that comes with it. One local proudly cast his arm toward photographs of Aung San Suu Kyi and her father hanging in a shop window and explained that their images have only been allowed in recent months.

Headlines during our recent trip stoked nationwide excitement about the transformation taking place in this long-isolated country.  People were still discussing recent visits by Hilary Clinton and UK Foreign Minister William Hague, and we read in The Myanmar Times of the new session in parliament opening with “feisty stirrings of democracy,” and Suu Kyi making her first campaign trip to the southern part of the country in preparation for the upcoming April 1 election.

While these events have precipitated a boom in tourism to Myanmar – foreign visits were up 30% last year – it’s the country’s people and historical landmarks that leave a lasting impression. We began our journey in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) and then set off for the north, visiting Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake.

The most famous – and remarkable – sight in Yangon is the Shwedagon Pagoda, which has stood on the city’s highest hill for over 2,500 years. Rebuilt several times, our guide told us that the current structure dates from the 18^th century.

Legend has it that this was always a holy place, but the large golden centerpiece, which is 326 feet high and has the equivalent of 66 metric tons of gold, was constructed to house eight strands of the Buddha’s hair, which he sent back to the city with two brothers.  It also contains relics from the three previous Buddhas.

The golden dome is topped by a 76-carat diamond (too far away to be seen with the naked eye) and glitters in the sun before turning a lovely shade of reddish bronze as the sun sets behind it.  Unfortunately, in the last few months, a few locals have collected funds to decorate the surrounding structures with colorful, blinking lights, but nevertheless the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda remains awe-inspiring.

Photos: 1) Shwedagon Pagoda by night; 2) A shrine next to the Pagoda; 3) A pregnant woman applies gold leaf to the baby boy in hopes that it will bring her a male child; 4)  The people in this photo are pouring cool water over the image of Buddha in hopes they will experience a similar sensation of coolness and peace; 5) Shwedagon by day.