Chant, Trance & Thaipusam Dance

Starting at the stroke of midnight on 7 Feb, Hindus in Singapore will start the Thaipusam procession. Thaipusam one of the most revered celebrations among Singapore Hindus is celebrated with guts and glory by Hindus from all walks of life. Thaipusam celebrates the birthday of Tamil God - Lord Murugan. Thaipusam is steeped in mythology and symbolism and is a festival with much depth, discipline, grace and beauty.

This year's Thaipusam falls on Sunday - so you can expect huge crowds. The Chetti Pusam - a smaller and more intimate version of the Thaipusam is celebrated on the day before Thaipusam - on the evening of 7 Feb. This is a beautiful way to pay homage to Lord Murugan too. One of my most memorable Thaipusams is carrying a pot of milk and walking the 4km route from Perumal Temple to Murugan Temple at midnight with other devotees. It was a peaceful and a magical night. Many of those who walked with me were chanting the name of the Lord and saying mantras quietly under their breadth. This is in sharp contrast to the carnival like atmosphere during the day and as the night progresses. Thaipusam is a 24 hour event starting on 8 Feb 2008 - at midnight of 7 Feb and ending at the stroke of midnight of 8 Feb. To experience the spectrum of emotions and spiritual import track the event over the 24 hour period. It changes drastically from intense devotion to a circus/party atmosphere as the day unfolds. There seems to be an inverse co-relation between the type of devotee and the time of the day. As a general rule of thumb the most devout seem to prefer the wee hours of 8 Feb - at the stroke of midnight.

In Singapore Thaipusam has become a massive celebration and some what of a media circus with many non-Hindus and tourists gawking at the Kavadi pierced devotees. There is MUCH misunderstanding surrounding Thaipusam. The divine and sacred ritual that it is often lost. Part of this could be because for a small handful of Indians, Thaipusam has become a macho endeavor. Think hip hop Hindu ritual style - where the event becomes one grand testosterone charged event for repressed and rebellious young Indian men and women. Where each guy competes with another guy on the size and weight of his kavadi and the number of spikes that he can pierce. And how many gals he can draw to his kavadi to pay homage to him. Many of these kavadi parties bring their own Indian rap music. Unfortunately they tend to attract the most attention from the onlookers and many walk away thinking that the event is entirely divorced from its spiritual significance.

However for many other HIndus Thaipusam is a deeply sacred religious observation. Many Hindus fast for months before the event, sleep on the floor and are strictly celibate during this period. I have seen some of the most intense faces of devotion and deep acts of bhakti during Thaipusum. Thaipusam is not just physically demanding. One truly has to confront one's fears where one is being pierced with 108 spikes and then has to walk barefoot on hot tar road under the hot sun in Singapore for 4km. It is also spiritually demanding in one's ability to trust that the divine will protect and take you over your limitations and transcend your physical and mental limitations. I have seen young men take a vow to Lord Murugan praying for miraculous cures for their parents (sometimes afflicted with illness) and older men (in their 60s) take the kavadi as a life-long commitment to the divine. This demands a tremendous amount of faith and discipline and stamina.

Many of the devotees also go into trance especially at the end of the 4km route where the vibration in the temple at the main sanctum is incredibly charged. This can be rather intimidating and scary as the kavadis are huge and the dancing can be intense. But it is also beautiful to experience as I have seen amazing dances by kavadi bearers in trance. And you can see that they are entirely lost to this world and have been transported to another powerful place. Its also an opportunity for the onlooker to release his/her fear and surrender to the divine energies swirling in the temple grounds.

As a documenter or a cultural observer I urge you to look deeper and look for the beautiful stories of the triumph of the human spirit and the acts of divine grace during Thaipusam. And if possible get close and personal - follow a kavadi bearer from the time of piercing and accompany the kavadi bearer on his 4km route. Say positive things to keep his spirit up and support him. Be part of the event - not merely capturing it. And most importantly keep him in the Divine Zone - don't bother him with intellectual or theoretical questions or ask about his motivations. Don't do your homework at the event. Do it at home or after the event by getting his contact particulars from him!! Soak up the atmosphere and capture the faces radiating with love for the divine. And as an act of reciprocity for having shared the event with you do send the kavadi bearer whatever photos or video footage you took. That would be deeply appreciated and would open up the door for many other conversations.