Title Behind the scenes Malaysia's Hindu community pierces their own bodies during a festival

Title Behind the scenes Malaysia's Hindu community pierces their own bodies during a festival

As the sun sets over Kuala Lumpur during Thaipusam, a spectacular sight unfolds before your eyes. The city streets are filled with people dressed in vibrant colors and carrying intricate offerings as they make their way to the Sri Sithi Vinayagar temple.

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival that marks the birthday of Lord Murugan, the god of Skanda. This day-long event sees devotees engaging in acts of self-mortification, such as piercing their bodies with skewers and hooks. These painful acts are seen by many Hindus as acts of devotion to Lord Murugan.

As we follow one group of devotees through the streets of Kuala Lumpur on their way to the temple, you get a sense of the deep spiritual connection they have with their faith. They chant mantras and pray for blessings as they slowly make their way through the crowd. The atmosphere is electric with anticipation.

Once they reach the temple, the piercing ritual begins. It's a process that requires great concentration and skill on behalf of the piercers, who carefully insert hooks into various parts of the devotees' bodies. These hooks will be carried throughout the day as a sign of devotion to Lord Murugan.

The scene is both awe-inspiring and humbling. To witness such acts of devotion firsthand is a reminder that faith can take many forms, but it always involves a deep commitment to something greater than oneself.

As we observe this fascinating ritual from behind the scenes, it's clear that Thaipusam is much more than just a festival; it's a powerful expression of Hinduism and the profound role that faith plays in people's lives.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.