Every year, during the Thaipusam Festival, throngs of photographers descend upon the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road to photograph the event. Thaipusam is one of the most colourful festivals in the Singapore calendar year and must be the most interesting festival to photograph.

Thaipusam is a festival dedicated to Lord Subramaniam. It follows the legend of Iduban, a devotee of the Lord who carried an offering to the Lord. Lord Subramaniam was so pleased that he showered Iduban with good fortune. The modern form of the burden carried by Iduban is the kavadi which means 'sacrifice at every step'.

There are mainly two types of kavadi carried by the devotees. There are the simple D-shaped ones carried on the shoulders. They are usually decorated with pictures of deities, flowers and peacock feathers. The more elaborate kavadis are the ones in a triangular shape which represents a mountain with Lord Subramaniam at the apex. At the middle of the kavadi is the kavadi bearer with as many as a hundred spears poking into his flesh. Others display penance with limes hooked onto their bodies, ropes with hooks to tow a chariot decorated with images of Lord Subramaniam. Of course, the mandatory piercing would be one skewer across the cheeks and one through the tongue of the devotee. These piercings are symbolic of the act of silence to concentrate and meditate to the Lord.

Some devotees, mainly women, carry pots of milk on their heads and walk the same route from the temple in Serangoon to another temple which is 5km away. At the end of the journey, the milk is poured over a statue of Lord Subramaniam as an offering.

Some devotees are supported by a large extended family and friends. Others are alone by themselves. Whatever their reasons, they are participating in the festival to give thanks to the Lord for answering their prayers, fulfilling a vow or to do penance for their sins.

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2019 Edition