Thomas Cristofoletti - Thaipusam Festival 2013

My name is Thomas Cristofoletti, and I am an Italian freelance photojournalist & videographer based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

I was supposed to have a nice long week end in company of 2 friends in Kuala Lumpur, but due a visa problem they didn't make it.
KL is not precisely the most interesting city in Asia, but I was lucky enough that my visit coincided with one of the most important Hindu festival in Malaysia, the Thaipusam, in which more than 1.6 million Tamils gathered in the Batu Caves on the outskirts of city to pay homage to Lord Muruga.

26/01/13 - Sri Mahamariaman Temple (Kuala Lumpur). Tamil devotees carry the image of Lord Murugan officially starting the Thaipusam Festival 2013.

26/01/13 - Kuala Lumpur. Thaipusam festival lasts for three days, beginning with the 15km procession of a chariot containing a statue of Lord Murugan from Sri Mahamariamman
Temple in Chinatown out to Batu Caves.

26/01/13 - Kuala Lumpur. Thaipusam festival lasts for three days, beginning with the 15km procession of a chariot containing a statue of Lord Murugan from Sri Mahamariamman
Temple in Chinatown out to Batu Caves.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). Tamil devotees carrying the traditional Kavadi (huge chariots), which means "sacrifice at every step".

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee pulls a chariot with hooks embedded in his back. This devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee pulls a chariot with hooks embedded in his back. This devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee carries a sacred chariot called Kavadi (which means "sacrifice at every step"). Normally decorated with flowers and peacock feathers, the larger ones with spikes can weigh as much as 40 kg.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee walks on knees the stairs towards the entrance of Batu Caves during the Thaipusam festival.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). More than 1.6 million of Hindu Tamil, gather in the Batu Caves, in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), to celebrate the annual Thaipusam festival and to pay homage to Lord Muruga.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). Tamil devotees carry sacred chariots called Kavadi (which means "sacrifice at every step"). Normally decorated with flowers and peacock feathers, the larger ones with spikes can weigh as much as 40 kg.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A girl is blessed with hashes by a priest during the Thaipusam Festival.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). Close up of a Kavadi (which means "sacrifice at every step"). Normally decorated with flowers and peacock feathers, the larger ones with spikes can weigh as much as 40 kg.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). Devotees in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). Thousands of devotees walk towards the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, at the very end of the pilgrimage of the Thaipusam Festival.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee sits carrying a Kavadi (chariot) . The larger ones with spikes can weigh as much as 40 kg and reach a height of four metres.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A man falls exhausted after being "liberated" by the weight of the Kavadi (a huge chariot - which means "sacrifice at every step").

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A woman throw an offer in a fire in front of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, at the very end of the pilgrimage of the Thaipusam.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee carries a sacred chariot called Kavadi (which means "sacrifice at every step"). Normally decorated with flowers and peacock feathers, the larger ones with spikes can weigh as much as 40 kg.

27/01/13 - Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain.