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A major festival of Malaysia, Thaipusam is a day of consecration to Lord Murugan or Lord Subramaniam, a Hindu deity. In this festival, a kavadi (frame decorated with colored papers, tinsels, fresh flowers and fruits) is carried by the devotees. Celebrated in a very grand manner in Kuala Lumpur, the devotees carry the kavadi and make their annual pilgrimage to the Batu Caves in Selangor. After climbing up the long 272 steps to the entrance of the great cave, the kavadi is finally deposited at the feet of the deity.
As most of the festivals unofficially start from a few days before the actual festivals, so does the Thaipusam. On the eve of the festival, Batu Caves are decorated nicely with lightings and decorations. After sunset the Kavadi carrying ritual actually begins and the devotees start the long journey. Kavadis are usually merrily decorated steel or wooden paraphernalia, on which the articles for the ritual are carried. As a proof of their faith in the religion, some people pierce their cheeks, tongues and foreheads with needles. With the belief that they would return to their normal lives the next day, all cleansed of their past sins, people take part in this festival from around the world in large numbers. Apart from piercing the flesh, other forms of devotion are also practiced by the devotees such as offering milk and honey to the deity.
So, if you are planning to go to Malaysia, then do make it a point to visit it during the Thaipusam festival and you would surely be able to witness something very different from what you have seen earlier.
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