I walked out to Serangoon Road nearby after breakfast hoping that the Thaipusam procession would be underway and sure enough it was. Devotees witih various forms of kavsdis dribbled through. It wasn’t a continuous stream. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
Since I couldn’t get any antihistamine cream and my sandfly bites were in bad shape, I thought I’d go get some antihistamine tablets to complement the creams that I was already using. I walked against the flow of the devotees to speed up my encounters.
Afterwards I took a taxi to see my aunt and give her some stuff from Mum. Lunch with aunt, cooked by her maid Pat, was good as usual. I took a taxi to near the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple on Tank Road which was the end point of the procession where the kavadis would be offered to Lord Murugan.
There were lots of barriers meaning that I had to walk a fair bit to get to an opening where I could get close to the devotees and walk alongside them to the temple. This was the only place where there was a queue of devotees. Unlike at KL’s Batu Caves I followed through into the temple; in KL the crowd was so bad I felt that I would be intruding but it wasn’t the case here.
I found an article on the internet that described the different forms of kavadi, so I’ll summarise them here:
- Paal kavadi. Very common; pot of milk carried on the head.
- Mayil kavadi. The big decorated “rack”; the largest form of kavadi. Attached to the body by way of 108 skewers (plus supporting frame).
- Thol kavadi. Semi-circular decorated frame, carried by hand.
- Alavu kavadi. Piercing through the tongue and/or cheeks.
- Kudam mulle. Hooks with pots of milk (or fruit).
- Vette mulle: Hooks attached to a chariot.
All-in-all, the Singapore experience was a bit tamer and wasn’t an assault on the senses at all (not for me anyway). This is Singapore after all and there are rules, eg. there was a ban on music for 42 years which was only lifted in 2015 and even now, music is only allowed at fixed points. Having said that, I did notice a little bit of litter which is unlike Singapore at all.
I did wonder why the procession all the way to the temple was held today as it was only Thaipusam eve. The procession had finished late night on the Eve whereas in KL, there was still plenty going on on the actual day of Thaipusam.
My cousin’s son Darryl (Ah Hai) dropped in to see me in the hotel around 2200. I hadn’t seen him for about 40 years! We had a nice little catch up but not for too long.
With Thaipusam all out of the way a day early, I had tomorrow all free for lazing!
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- Mayil Kavadi close up. Apparently there are 108 spears.
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- Mayil Kavadi close up. Apparently there are 108 spears.
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- Kavadi procession.
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- Kavadi procession.
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- Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple.
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- Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple.
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- Many in the procession stop for a break.
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- Many in the procession stop for a break.
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- Very elaborate Mayil Kavadi with lots of peacock feathers.
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- Pots of milk on one’s back. This is another form of kavadi known as Kudam Mulle.
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- Pots of milk on one’s back. This is another form of kavadi known as Kudam Mulle.
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- Oranges hooked on to the body is another form of kavadi known as Kudam Mulle.
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- Oranges hooked on to the body is another form of kavadi. So are the hooks towing a chariot and the skewer through the cheeks.
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- Vette Mulle; hooks towing a chariot.
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- Vette Mulle; hooks towing a chariot.
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- Pots of milk on the thigh; Kudam Mulle.
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- Elaborate kavadi with peacock feathers.
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- Elaborate kavadi with peacock feathers.
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- Elaborate kavadi with peacock feathers.
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- Thol Kavadi is a small hand-carry version.
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- Devotee with piercing through the cheeks; known as Alavu Kavadi.
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- Devotee with piercing through the cheeks; known as Alavu Kavadi.
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- Working doubly hard with one leg.
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- Close-up of devotee.
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- Milk jugs and lime. Can make curd?
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- Pots of milk on one’s back. This is another form of kavadi known as Kudam Mulle.
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- Thol Kavadi is a small hand-carry version.
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- The simple pot of milk carried on the head is also considered a kavadi; known as Paal Kavadi.
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- Mayil Kavadi supported by skewers onto the skin (in addition to larger struts).
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- Mayil Kavadi supported by skewers onto the skin (in addition to larger struts).
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- Flower garlands in a shop.
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- Man wearing sandal of nails with skewers through the arms.
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- Man wearing sandal of nails with skewers through the arms.
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- Sandal of nails.
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- Sandal of nails.
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- Milk pots, skewers into the arms and a larger Mayil Kavadi with skewers into the body.
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- Thol Kavadi is a small hand-carry version.
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- The simple pot of milk carried on the head is also considered a kavadi; known as Paal Kavadi.
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- There are rules to be followed in Singapore.
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- Even the hardiest need a rest.
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- Devotee with piercing through the cheeks; known as Alavu Kavadi.
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- Thendayuthapani Temple.
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- Shoes not allowed in the temple.
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- Mayil Kavadi.
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- There are rules to be followed in Singapore.
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- Mayil Kavadi.
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- Close-up of devotee.
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- Close-up of devotee.
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- Little pots of milk hooked on to the body; known as Kudam Kavadi.
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- Pots of milk on the body; Kudam Mulle.
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- Close-up of devotee.
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- Close-up of devotee.
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- Mayil Kavadi.
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- Close-up of devotee.
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- Close-up of devotee.
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- Thendayuthapani Temple.
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- Vette Mulle; pulling in a chariot into Thendayuthapani Temple.
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- Inside Thendayuthapani Temple.
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- Inside Thendayuthapani Temple.
