Reverence

Thaipusam :: Singapore, 2014

January 28th, 2021

Today was Thaipusam in Singapore, hence the reason we’ve flown the magic carpet back to one of my favorite destinations. Thaipusam is an elaborate and deeply moving day of devotion in the Hindu religion. When I lived in Singapore, I attended it twice and will never forget the experience.

On its surface, it can be shocking, hard to understand and altogether foreign. As you get closer and begin to understand, the event becomes rich with meaning, at times enchanting, even as a non-participant.

We’re going to ease into it, starting with this photo I captured while attending Thaipusam in 2014. It’s a favorite photo of mine for its color, beauty and graceful pose of the man covering the milk pot. On that night, he would hold that pot atop his head and walk barefoot for four kilometers, from one temple to another.

Tomorrow, I’ll (re)share a lengthy post about my first experience at Thaipusam in 2013 and everything I learned, followed on Saturday with the story of my second experience in 2014. I hope you find Thaipusam as captivating as I did and can look beyond the pain to the history and reverence of the occasion.

More tomorrow,
Kelly

Post of the Day: Adding a bit of light to the darkness as we get through the pandemic together. This series features travel photos from my archives, shared with you while staying close to home.