More Thaipusam- Part II

The most amazing part of all the piercing to me is that there is no blood and no obvious pain. My friend J. took a video on her iPhone of them actually piercing a young man's cheek and tongue at the temple and he doesn't even flinch! No tears, no screaming, totally calm. I am very impressed by the amount of self control it takes to let your friend or family member stick a rather wide metal stake through your face and not show any reaction. Ouch.

Getting a little spear adjustment. Look at the large spears going through his skin on his stomach. That pole is attached to the elaborate canopy he is carrying over his head and he is supporting the weight almost exclusively through the piles through his skin. 

Good shot of the tongue/cheek piercing combo. 

Some women taking part in the ritual. 

Check out at the look sheer concentration and determination on his face. Meanwhile the bar that is piercing his cheek is massive. 

We came back at night and caught the tail end of the festival, which included this terrifyingly massive kavadi. Most of them are about 3-4 feet over the head of its wearer, but this one was more like 10. The poor man had just started his route and was already really exhausted and was being physically supported by his friends and family to support the massive weight on his body.