For these devotees, they were pulling the large chariot for the Hindu goddess Kali via ropes which were hooked to the back of their bodies.
Piercing is very common for the devotees.
For some, it was a family affair.
Ropes with hooks attached at the back of the devotees.
Devotees usually prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting approximately 48 days before Thaipusam.
During this day, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). In Penang, the pilgrimage’s common destination is the Waterfall Hill Temple.
Hindus generally take a vow to offer a kavadi to a deity or god for the purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity.
More scenes can be found HERE.
