Purification of the Soul

For some Thaipusam is a purification of the body, mind and soul. The rigorous preparations which includes fasting, abstinence, prayers, taboos all serve to prepare the devotee for the final celebrations. Some will carry the kavadi, an extreme show of devotion for their faith, in either atonement for past wrongdoings or as a thank giving for blessings received in the past. None feel the pain when the piercings are fitted, they do not feel the fatigue of the heavy burden placed on their shoulders, they walk ahead to the very last step until finally it ends within the altar in the caverns above at Batu Caves. Kuala Lumpur, 2007.