Thaipusam festival

Thaipusam festival is celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January / February). Thaipusam is a Hindu festival which sees worshippers test their endurance and show their appreciation to the Tamil god Murugan. These photos were taken in Georgetown (Malaysia).

On the day of the festival, devotees shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with skewers is also common.

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