Thaipusam in Batu Caves, Malaysia

I have always been rather hesitant to attend the Hindu festival of Thaipusam, despite it being held yearly, close to my hometown Kuala Lumpur, as I was never sure if I'd be able to withstand the sight of human flesh being pierced before my eyes -- with weighted hooks and skewers. But after filming a Travelogue in Kuala Lumpur with CCTV News, where we visited Batu Caves, I finally decided it's time to just do it!  No, not pierce myself, but to attend the festival.  

Batu Caves - a sacred limestone cave located just 15km north of Kuala Lumpur, hosts one of the largest Thaipusam celebrations outside of Tamil Nadu, India. It attracts over a million pilgrims and tens of thousands of tourists yearly.  Thaipusam is also celebrated in other areas with significant Tamil communities such as Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand.

Before you start thinking Thaipusam is some freakshow, let me explain what this Hindu festival is all about: 

Thaipusam is a day of thanksgiving and penance.  It celebrates the Hindu God of War and Victory - Lord Murugan, who vanquished demons with a magical spear (Vel) given to him by his father Lord Shiva's reincarnated first wife - Goddess Parvati.  To honour Lord Murugan and his divine weapon, devotees allow their bodies to be pierced with skewers and hooks of different sizes, bearing different weight, next ascending the steep 100m of 272 steps into the sacred limestone cave, where devotees will deposit their offerings for Lord Murugan. 

Look at the sea of people... My jaw dropped when I saw the amount of people climbing up the steep steps!  I have been warned that it would be very packed and I was prepared for it. Thaipusam in Batu Caves is known to have more than a million attendees from the world over, but I guess you don't really feel the Million until they're all put together. 

[WARNING: Potentially graphic images coming up. Brace yourselves.]

Zooming in... The wide stairway is divided into three lanes - the one of the left is for onlookers and devotees ascending with their offerings; The wider middle lane is for people ascending while bearing 'Kavadis', or 'Physical burdens' - Huge metal frames that could be as high as 2metres, with images or statues of Lord Murugan, elaborately decorated with flowers and peacock feathers, with more offerings; The lane on the right is for descending.

Imagine the slow and steep climb up, bearing all the weight of the offerings hooked onto your skin, and/or carrying a 'Kavadi' / 'Physical burden'  which usually weighs around 40kg and could go up to 100kg!  

An example of a 'Kavadi'. 

*Photo courtesy of Peter Gronnemann

A devotee with the trademark three-pronged spear, known as the Vel, pierced through his cheeks, carrying a pot of milk to be offered to Lord Murugan.

Another traditional object which devotees hook on to their bodies as offerings, are Limes and Betel Leaves.

Due to the creativity of devotees in coming up with 'fancy' Kavadis in recent years, the Malaysian government just released a new rule forbidding Kavadis bearing logos of their companies, favourite soccer clubs, movie stars and uncommon fruits (such as Durian)... I guess as a festival becomes more commercialised, people gradually forget the whole meaning of the celebration.  As for offering Durians on their bodies... Ouch! Durians weigh 6-10kg.. The hook has got to be chunkier and more solid than the ones above. That really is taking an offering to a new level.

Devotee on the left, who has been pierced and blessed by a priest, dancing to the rhythm of drumbeats as he passes on the energy and courage to the next devotee being 'hooked' with little pots of milk as offerings to Lord Murugan. Closer look below:

I struggle to see the next two pictures.

 *Photo courtesy of David Hagermann

This was quite hard for me to watch. They had someone hold on and pull the ropes as the person being pierced moves his body forward in accordance to the drumbeat, creating tension on the ropes... Hard to watch.

*Photo courtesy of John Ragai

In order for these devotees to perform such formidable tasks - without a drop of blood (!), it involves preparation by cleansing themselves through praying and fasting about 48 days before Thaipusam, observing celibacy, going vegetarian, and eating only Satvik food - Pure food that hasn't been contaminated with bad energy, such as drinking milk from a cow raised in good surroundings, without being ill-treated. All these cultivate Sattva - a state of mind in which the mind is calm and peaceful.

Here's a short video I took of a devotee being pierced, blessed and divinely possessed:

In case video doesn't appear, here's the link.

Prior to attending Thaipusam, I had always thought that the devotee would already be 'divinely possessed' and in a trance hence they weren't able to feel the pain. But from the few up-close encounters that morning, pierced devotees clearly feel the pain. 

I'm not sure if you're able to see in the video - the devotee trembling and trying to withstand the pain as the mini pots of milk are hooked onto his back, and once the priest makes sure that the number of pots are equal on both sides of the back, the priest will use the materials in the tray (picture below) to invoke the spirits of the Hindu gods to take possession of the 'hosts', or Kavadi bearers.

The tray consists of a small flame, tumeric powder, red powder called 'kum kum' and consecrated ash - Used to invoke the spirits of the Hindu Gods.

You'll also notice in the video, as soon as the priest is done piercing, he dips his finger into the tray to collect some holy ash, touches the forehead of the devotee and recites a prayer. The body of the devotee succumbs and then rises like a warrior. That is when, they say the spirit takes over.

There were many 'divine intervention' which I witnessed, but with my limited knowledge of Hindu Gods, I could only identify one God in which its 'spirit' took over a devotee - It was after a priest had recited a prayer, the devotee raised his upper body, screamed, with his eyes wide open, looking fearful and bewildered, jumping around, waving his arms and demanding for a lime to be given to him. He immediately stuffed the lime in his mouth and ceased screaming, yet his body kept moving wildly, only to be restrained by the ropes which were hooked onto his back.  I'm guessing that 'spirit' is the one of Hanuman, an ape-like deity from the Hindu epic: Ramayana. 

However, not everyone chooses extreme piercing. Some choose to carry pots of milk, which according to one of the devotees, is the favourite drink of Lord Murugan.

This little boy all ready to make his offering of a pot of milk, as family members look on in pride.

Some choose to shave their heads.
Shaving the head is another form of offering, since it strips away the trappings of vanity. It represents the death of ego, and the beginning of one's life as a humble servant of God.

The word Thaipusam is a combination of the 10th month of 'Thai', where the 'pusam' star is at its highest, usually occurring in January or February. So if you're interested in experiencing this interesting festival for yourself, you know roughly when to plan your travels.


I think Thaipusam is a festival worth experiencing. But if you still can't muster the courage to witness the procession or see the piercings, no worries, there are plenty of other things that will keep you occupied:

Walk into one of the Indian eateries nearby, order your choice of Roti (Indian bread) and 'Teh Tarik' (Pulled tea). Have your Roti while watching their 'Teh Tarik' performance.

Sample the many Indian snacks and sweets.

Be entertained by the monkeys who are real clowns (...and thieves too. Watch your snacks!)

Get some traditional Henna art done.

Wait for your Henna art to dry up while getting a chair-massage!

(I could not believe it when I saw this! On one end, people were summing up courage getting pierced and in pain... And over here, it's the total opposite. It was quite funny witnessing the instant contrast.)

Be blessed by an Indian priest.

Have your fortune told - the traditional Indian way, where they have their special parrot pick your divine card.

If your fortune isn't good, the next picture will brighten up your day...

Free Food For All....!!! =)


Alright, let's not get side-tracked. 
My first Thaipusam is entirely experiential. There were so many new things thrown at me from all around in just one morning, so many questions unanswered as those I had wanted to ask were simply too busy and involved in the procession, it just wasn't right to intrude.

Thaipusam is a festival worth checking out.  I would definitely go for it again, but next time I would want to follow a family who's willing and ready to have me. There's just so much more spiritual significance to Thaipusam than the gore and freakshow that most people make it to be.

Certainly more to the gore than meets the eye. 
Till the next Thaipusam!

Recharge in Cambodia

Angkor Wat – the centrepiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor.

Angkor literally means 'Capital City' or 'Holy City', and Wat refers to 'temple'. This legendary UNESCO World Heritage site's artistic beauty and archaeological significance, puts it in the same class as the Pyramids and Machu Picchu.

It is said that Cambodia has four seasons:

• December – February: Cool & Dry
• March – May: Hot & Dry
• June – August: Hot & Rainy
• September – November: Cool, with Diminishing Rain

I arrived Siem Reap on a cool morning at the end of November, just a few days before the 18^th Angkor Wat International Half-marathon. Thinking that the weather in Siem Reap would be the typical South East Asian weather – Hot & Humid, I conveniently packed-up light and airy clothing. I ended up hugging myself tight, trying to keep warm early in the morning, as I sat in a moving open-framed tuk-tuk. Thankfully the airport is only about 6km from the town centre. Any longer than 15 minutes in the moving tuk-tuk would probably give me more defined triceps, abs and quads (from tensing up my muscles keeping warm).

It still gets pretty hot in the afternoon so your light and airy clothing are still needed. Perhaps just a thin jacket if you're out traveling in the early mornings or evenings in the cooler months, or just buy a traditional Khmer silk scarf (Krama) when you're there.

Paying our friendly tuk-tuk driver the standard rate of USD$5 for the journey from the airport, my childhood buddy greeted me at the entrance of a cute little hotel we would be staying in, at Alley West – a quaint and artsy alley with relaxing cafes and little boutiques, located between Pub Street and the Old Market area. I would say that the area is a very convenient location where all the important things – restaurants / cafes / pubs, souvenir stores, massage parlours, convenience stores, bike rental shops etc are all within walking distance.

The terrain in Siem Reap is fairly flat, which makes it great for cycling, and running the half-marathon. We rented a bike, stopped by the Blue Pumpkin – a famous bakery/cafe chain and off we went to explore the temple ruins at the Angkor Achaeological Park.

We purchased a three-day temple pass for USD$40, which had to be used within a week and not necessarily in three consecutive days. There is also a one-day pass which cost USD$20 and a seven-day pass at USD$60 to be used within a month, not necessarily consecutively.

Passes in hand, we cycled in beautiful weather to Angkor Wat. 
The famous temple is often flocked to before the breaking of dawn at about 5am to capture these views:

If not, the next best time to see the Angkor Wat is in the afternoon after 2pm when the sun moves west, shining its light on the iconic temple, giving it optimal lighting.

And should you only have time to see two temples – Bayon should be the next one. You may recognise this image :

There are many temple ruins located within, and out of the Angkor Achaeological Park, each varying in design, explorability, impression and condition.  Out of just the seven temple ruins that we visited, there were two which stood out and are my personal favourites - Bayon (in which the picture above was taken) and Pre Rup. 

When in Bayon, it feels as though you're walking between little mountains. A bit like in a rock-jungle, except most of these giant rocks sport four beautifully carved faces.  I imagine walking alone in these narrow lanes between giant rocks, getting lost in the maze of giant stone faces... That would be the perfect mystical experience in Bayon. Too bad it's filled with tourists.

Siem Reap is a bike-friendly place as the terrain is flat and most roads are tree-lined which makes it the whole cycling experience very pleasant. One thing to note though, it can be very dusty in some areas, especially in the town centre, so it's good to bring a mask!

From Bayon, we cycled to Ta Prohm, famous for its centuries old chunky tree roots growing in and all over the temple. Of course it is also famous for having Angelina Jolie grace the place filming Tomb Raider. Unfortunately, due to massive numbers of visitors, steel pillars have been erected to hold the temple ruins together. Wooden walkways have also been built in recent years to make walking easier. Well, I guess it facilitates elderly tourists and it is also for safety, but all these additions sadly do not complement the 'jungle atmosphere'.

However, there is still hope! The next day, after running the half-marathon, we headed to Beng Mealea, about 1.5 hours by tuk-tuk, east of town.

Beng Mealea is quite like Ta Prohm (the Tomb Raider temple), except overrun with vegetation and lightly touristed. The best thing is that you're free to explore, at your own risk - which means you can climb anywhere you wish, or even walk on the ruined roof should you fancy. The picture below shows just what you could possibly do in Beng Mealea:

It is a wonderland; A playground for the local kids!

Entrance to Beng Mealea isn't by the regular admission ticket or temple pass and you'd need to pay a separate USD$5. There are wooden walkways built too, but still, the serenity of Beng Mealea gives you room to breathe and take-in the 'lost jungle-temple' feel.

Even our journey to Beng Mealea with a tuk-tuk via the countryside was utterly enjoyable!

The journey via the countryside was scenic and occasionally thrilling, especially when going by uneven village dirt roads which make you feel like you'd be flung out of the tuk-tuk! Fun journey it was. Make sure you bring along a mask too as it can be very dusty.

Note: The village road option may not be available in the rainy season as it may be too muddy, with occasional flooding. 

Some visitors combine their trip to Beng Mealea with Koh Ker, another remote archaeological site 120km away from town. Unfortunately we didn't get the chance to include that in our trip this time. Perhaps it's worth checking out if ever you were heading to Beng Mealea.

Our journey back to town at sundown through the village was beautiful, as the light of the retiring sun shone on the paddy fields, giving it a rich golden glow. It was serene and breathtaking... Until the serenity was interrupted with the growl of our tummies. 

Having had Cambodian food for most of our meals since we arrived, we decided to try out some International cuisine.

Where you see inverted umbrellas, you know it is Pub Street.
We went off the busy Pub Street to a pleasantly quiet lane, to try out the much talked about Italian Trattoria - Il Forno, to see what's all the fuss. Well, we were also craving for some good wood-fired pizzas and more carbs to replenish the energy lost running 21km in the morning.

Despite our prior reservation and being there on the dot at 8.30pm, we still had to wait. It is important to make a reservation, and here's why - the food is simply VERY GOOD! I do not say that lightly. It is the BEST Italian food I've ever had. Totally worthy of praise!  I ordered their homemade Gnocchi which left me, my buddy and two other friends (who were in town for the half-marathon as well), scraping the gravy off the plate! We know it's rude to keep scraping, but screw that, the Gnocchi was TASTY!!

Who ever knew we'd find the best Italian food out of Italy.. In Siem Reap?! :)

Our plan the next day's gave a great end to our trip. 
Again, we took a tuk-tuk out of town, this time 38km out to Banteay Srey, which loosely translates as 'Citadel of the women', also known as the 'Pink Temple'. 

This temple is relatively small, and made out of pink sandstone with elaborate designs!

The exterior is densely covered with deep, delicate and intricate carvings such as the picture below.

Exquisite!

From Banteay Srey (The Pink Temple), we took a 12km straight road on to Kbal Spean, where we'd hike 1500m up the mountain to see the 'River of 1000 Lingas'. Lingas refer to the 'male appendages', and at the river banks and river bed, you can spot many stone carvings and sculptures of Hindu Gods. The main theme of these is about Creation, as defined by Hindu mythology.

When a friend who went to Kbal Spean before told me what Lingas were, I was expecting to see something like in Cappadocia, Turkey. Just so you do not go through the same little disappointment as I did, these Lingas are actually cute little bumps neatly arranged at the bed rock of the river which looks like this:

The square bit at the centre is a 'Yoni'- Sanskrit for 'Womb'. This place is all about Creation remember. 

Well, that aside, it was a great place to have a picnic by the river banks as it is quiet. All you hear are birds chirping, rustling of the leaves and the river water flowing, with the distant sound of a waterfall.

Not to mention, the company of many friendly butterflies.

.
We were reluctant to leave, but we had to in order to catch the sunset at Pre Rup.

Pre Rup, as mentioned before, is the other personal favourite of mine, along with Bayon. This temple ruin exudes grandeur and is dramatic. Not only is it picturesque with a great view of the surrounding, it is also quite fun getting up and down the little ' temple-mountain'.

I love this picture because of the lady behind me. This shows how steep the steps are that she had to cling on to the wall.  One middle-aged lady was so terrified of going down that she decided to put her ego aside and descended one bum at a time. That was really adorable!

This was what we ascended for... What a view! There was that immediate sense of SPACE as soon as you reached the top and looked out at the countryside and the sunset... Until you turn around and see this:

Despite the number of tourists on site, everyone kept their voices low as all of us knew that everyone traveled from afar to enjoy the beautiful temple and that golden hour of the sunset. Giving each other the physical space was not possible, hence we gave each other the aural space. Not only was the view great, the feeling of mutual respect amongst all tourists from the world over was quite heartwarming.

We enjoyed the remaining sunlight of the day on our tuk-tuk on the way back to our hotel, and ended the night with a traditional Cambodian platter at 'Angkor Palm', reflecting on our entire trip over mango shakes.