Oh hello, I am back again and now I am going to talk about the Indian’s big Thaipusam Day that happened two weeks ago. I am so lucky to be in one of the states that has big celebration for this big Indian/Tamil/Hindu festival. As far as I know, Penang and Kuala Lumpur are the two places here in Malaysia that have it big.
Last year, some friends did invite me to go to the festival to do some photoshooting, but because I couldn’t wake up so early in the morning, so I missed it. This year was different, I didn’t plan to go photo shooting too, but it’s just that on the day before, Thaipusam’s Eve, the procession has already started and I was going no where after the Chung Ling Memorial thing, so Chien Chern, my friend decided to go visit a friend at Datuk Keramat Road whose his dad’s shop is just right in front of the Thaipusam thing.
So what they had that afternoon was the coconut throwing and some procession take place and people pays respect to the Indian god by contributing prayers thing like fruits, candles.
Till now, I still remembered it’s a very hot day, the sun was hanging high in the sky, shinning down, with the heat radiating the ground. I didn’t care because I wanted to shoot the festival and share it up.
The coconuts were bought by people mostly have their business along the road, they throw the coconut on the ground, break it, is to clean the road for procession, as a respect to god, a prayer, for wealth and health. It’s said to be good luck to throw the coconut. I did try before long time ago when I was small, when my dad had a furniture shop at Datuk Keramat Road, it’s now moved to Gottlieb Road though.
Arron and his family.
At the time 2.30pm sharp, “piak piak piak” sound can be heard and coconuts were everywhere on the ground with the juice splashing out. The scene was epic. Try not to stand near to them because the coconut can be rebounded. Hehe, just like a basketball.
Part of the road was block for this thing and people who bought coconut were at the middle of the road while me and other people like me who see for fun and takes photo were on the other side, hoping that did not get hit by the coconut.
These coconuts although are hard, but it’s actually kinda easy to be squashed. At some time, some un-squashed will roll to my place and I will pick it up and join the fun too!
Chien Chern, Me and Arron.
The whole thing was like 15 minutes. The aftermath was cool with a wet coconut juiced road and coconut every where.
The MPPP people were very efficient, when everything stopped, they quickly come and swept the coconut to a side and let the real procession began and don’t want to stuck the road.
The next thing after the coconut throwing was the procession thing, with devotees paying respect and offerings.
They walk with their bare feet and I believed the road is not hot already because it had been juiced.
I don’t really know how to describe this, so I’ll let the photos speak. =)
Happy Thaipusam, super belated!
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