Thaipusam Festival in Penang

Thaipusam Festival is one of major Hindu festivals in Penang. It is a fascinating Hindu festival that includes a parade of purification and cleansing rituals. Devotees carry Kavadi or a colourfully decorated frame to Waterfall Gardens temple, near Penang Botanic Gardens. Some devotees pierce cheeks or tongues with spikes and skewers in show of penance.
Visitors to this year’s Thaipusam festival had a taste of English Premier League action when fans of the game carried football-inspired kavadis.
Two die-hard football fans were spotted with kavadis bearing the emblem of their favourite teams – Manchester United (MU) and Liverpool.



A kavadi bearer, who only wanted to be known as Rosnathan, was carrying Liverpool’s red and white crest from a temple at Lorong Kulit to the hilltop temple in Waterfall Road to give thanks to Lord Muruga for the birth of his son on Jan 3.
The kavadi, measuring more than three metres high, bore Liverpool city’s symbol – the Liver bird.




According to his friend of 15 years, Chris­topher Anthony Samy, the prison warden had been a Liverpool fan for more than four years and hoped his son would share his passion for the team.
“I am a Red Devil (MU) fan but I helped him make the kavadi because we are good friends,” he said, adding that the foam kavadi took about a week to complete.

English tourist Claire Chuah said she was surprised that the EPL was popular in Malay­sia. “In Britain, football is a passion but I did not expect it to be the same half way around the world. “It’s so interesting how much of a fan these guys are, incorporating their love for the club with their religious beliefs,” the hardcore MU fan said.
Source: The Star