THAIPUSAM FESTIVAL IN PENANG (it's crazy!)

Tia & Cheveyo
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[@UjjayaEthnoambient]

The spear that pearces the cheeks of the dancers / penitents is the embodiement of the state of silence . Only by the silence both mental and verbal one can reach the state of mind that welcomes Murugan . The structures bears by the dancers are called Kavadi . In the begining it was a simple stick with 2 milk pots at each end . It symbolizes the two mountains (Shivagiri & Shaktigiri) that a demon has to brought southward India by the order of a great sage (Agastya who converted south India to hinduism.Idumban (which mean arrogant) was one demon that survives to the war between Gods and Demon by choosing the right side . But all his pride was not completely vanished . So when he stopped to get rest on his way to south, he couldn't raise the mountains . Murugan in guise of a little child make fools of him . He didn't recognize him and went into a fight with the god of war . Murugan killed him but he ressucitated him , so Idumban became his fervent devotee . Murugan as the god of war is praised by extrem and intense sacrifices . He rules Mars and the blood so he can stop the blood to flow (unless into the 10 days of fast something went wrong ) . Most of the cavadee are possessed by Murugan spirit , they barely feel some pain . You choose to dance the cavadee by a secret pact between Murugan and you ( it could be to thanks the God to have fullfilled a wish, to purify one self from a fault). Once you reach the altar, priest give you some blessed food or blessed drink fullfilled with the energy of the god himself . It's called the prasad . The Peacok is the mount of Murugan, the spear (the vel) his arm .The peacock is flashy and he kills serpents .The name of the peacok is paravani (the year, each eye on his tail is a day of this year) . So by following the sacred days of the calendar you can defeat the attrition of time (the venom of time) and reach immortality (ie get out of the reincarnation cycles) . The Vel , the spear mean that all the energies , all the chakras are awaken. Ultimately at its ends it's the embodyment of knowledge (both broad and accurate) . The lemon is the fruit of Murugan .

[@thedeaner]

The pinnacle of traveling around the world is those unplanned, unscripted moments that give you a glimpse into new cultures, breathtaking celebrations, and everlasting joy. I hope this video inspires more people to travel to faraway lands in hopes of a similar experience.

[@ronbeaubien]

I couldn't agree more.

[@sooling5529]

funfact: yesterday was also the last day of Chinese new year so there were a lot of celebrations for the Chinese at the temples as well! so we had two big celebrations going on the same day! hope you enjoy Penang!

[@OnePackWanderers]

Love how multicultural Malaysia is 😊

[@kellielafevor8231]

My husband and 2 daughters were just ahead of you as you went into the temple! They are 7 and 8. A blond with a bun and brunette with two ponytails on top of her head. I saw her in your video. 😂 We have been in Penang for 3 1/2 weeks and it’s pretty amazing!

[@kellielafevor8231]

5:17 and then just after. We are from the Chicago area and travel most winters with our girls.

[@OnePackWanderers]

Small world! What a cool thing you guys do every winter! Your girls are going to look back at these trips and really appreciate them 😊

[@nickloong]

That's just part of an experience when you're visiting Malaysia during its festive season!

[@The-axman]

Wow! Glad you had a great time! I used to live at the end of that route. Party every year. The Kavadi and body piercings is an act of devotion. I've brought people to experience it - some people like you find it cool to see it, but others, especially kids may find it too gory (so travellers: beware). We usually go in the late afternoon so that it is not so hot and the dancing is wilder. So no one smashed coconuts while dancing anymore? And as another commenter mentioned, the last day of Chinese New Year usually fall at around the same time, so you will also have the Chap Goh Meh Festival too (you can look at the interesting "dating rituals" played out on little boats at the esplanade. Penang is simply magical. Enjoy it!

[@hemaura888]

Thaipoosam is a biggest festival in Tamilnadu and Malaysia..hope you both had a good time there❤️

[@WanderingMunchers]

It's great to see you guys enjoying the thaipusam procession. It usually always gets super crowded in Georgetown during any festivities. I usually avoid driving into Georgetown when festive season comes. Plus, I have sensory processing disorder which makes it impossible for me to attend any large crowd gatherings. If you guya were in Penang the week before, there was the hokkien new year or pai ti kong. It was a bigger celebration here in Penang than any other states in malaysia. It was like a warzone throughout the night.

[@SamFournier]

Wow! Sensory overload, so much going on I didn’t know where to look. What a crazy experience and was amazing to watch. Can’t believe you guys filmed this and then had the energy to edit after. Bravo 👏🏽

[@davesivirn2283]

WOW you guys hit the travel nirvana. This is something few people ever get to experience so glad you got to partake.

[@stephenworthington-white8294]

What an amazing festival!! I had never heard of this one before. What a great experience, Hindu festivals are a wild thing to see, the noise and the crowds can be overwhelming at times but exciting as well. Great video guys! Happy Travels

[@OnePackWanderers]

It was really an awesome experience. Loud and overwhelming but worth it :)

[@The2011PC]

In some instances, the milk offerings are poured over a particular Hindu idol at the temple in ritual practice. Saw this at the Batu Caves when I was there. Wonderful cultural diversity in Malaysia!

[@keangwooichoo6138]

Kavadi carriers. Glad you got everything on camera. I am so happy you accidentally got involved in thaipisam

[@sahraichami4460]

Pray to God BLESS you and your FAMILY 🇲🇾🌎🙏❤

[@Wendy-dm5ox]

Wonderful experience ya... Penang is jam-packed with festivals in the month of January and February (Chinese new year and Hindu Thaipusam).

[@jspillai1869]

Hey there, we do celebrate Thaipusam in the Hindu temples in Dallas and Houston area where we have few thousand devotees visiting the temples. But more crowd comes during the following weekend.

[@northernbloke]

Haha, that festival looks brilliant. Malaysia’s on my list, now got up a few notches :)

[@batuboy5384]

Did you get to crack coconuts on the road in front of the silver chariot? My boys did it about 25 years ago. Everything about Thaipusam in Georgetown is amazing . Remember it all fondly.

[@sahraichami4460]

Welcome to Malaysia 🙏🌎🇲🇾it is Hindu oldest RELIGION before this world born the true way of life 100000000000000%

[@Potomacstud]

Superb video , the red bamboo is called the Lakka Palm aka Cystostachy lakka , the men carrying pointed contraption piercing their skins are Kavadi , the milk collected will probably used to washed the feet of the participants especially those who might be walking on a burning pit later in the nite , Indiana Jones would have been so proud of both of you

[@OnePackWanderers]

Wow, you seem to know a lot of about this! Thank you for the information, this type of thing enhances our travels so much.

[@Potomacstud]

@@OnePackWanderers the red palm also called the sealing wax palm , the lipstick palm

[@dennisvun8863]

Glad that you guys get to experience this very unique celeration.

[@Anberel]

We’re on our 8th straight day of rain here. I am so envious of your sunshine and hot weather.

[@jeremychoong5792]

KL Taipusam will be bigger festival. Anyway enjoyed the whole new experience.

[@bigbrotheriswatching8709]

Thank you for documenting that experience so well. Felt like I was there.

[@drewcorry5056]

Tia wants her coffee in the morning. Weather looks amazing. 1ST time I noted red bamboo. Great to see so many people enjoying this festival. Great video and great job. Fun Bloopers

[@tantangpenn5496]

Look closer. It's a member of palm family. Bamboos are members of grass.

[@MillaExplores]

What an experience! Huge respect to the people with the piercings all over their body

[@CharlottaAdolfsson]

Fantastic insight to fantastic culture. Aren’t you lucky to be able to do this! Keep doing it! ❤

[@julienz6196]

What a fabulous festival and so vibrant. The music just makes you want to join in and dance!

[@stevecameron52]

Hey guys love your videos and we will be in that part of the world in May... Tia just noticed your necklace....is it a St Christopher?

[@OnePackWanderers]

My mom made the necklace 😊

[@lumpialife]

So cool! Love culture! What an experience!

[@romaeditzzz7126]

Love from Malaysia, Penang😂❤️

[@samraj3179]

Thank God both of you had your shoes on untill the entrance of the Temple in Penang. Otherwise, you would have parted with them. At the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, the morning after the festival the cleaners had to dispose and get rid of almost 5 metric tons (5,000 Kgs.) of footwear. The advisory for visitors and participants is to leave your footwear in your vehicles. The problem is not all travel to the Temple Festival in their own vehicles or shared vehicles.

[@OnePackWanderers]

Wow, lucky indeed! Do they just kind of start throwing away shoes as they pile up? I suppose with that many shoes they would have to start getting rid of them a couple hours into the day...

[@samraj3179]

@@OnePackWanderers according to the news article they were just disposing them. To match each pair of footwear in that jumbo pile may take a very long time. Temple cleaning staff may have other better things to do. Of course, enterprising staff may sell it off for extra income, as bulk to recycling centres for them to sort it out.

[@Packingpaws]

Epic 🤩 I’m with Tia though..finding your shoes afterwards is the real test

[@アタサン-s1y]

マレーシア🇲🇾ペナングのヒンズー教のお祭りですね☺️凄く賑やかで、とてもカラフルですね👍️やっぱり食べる時は右手✋オンリーですか？

[@johnkies1189]

5:06 we finally did it, we finally found one of the people who actually buy those shirts with the "legends are born in x month" shirts 😆

[@jaredford8440]

Oh wow how cool , with so many people their celebrating it must've been very overwhelming ,what an incredible experience 🌺🌺👏🇳🇿nz

[@MattBlankenshipPhotography]

Like #2 from Gilbert Arizona! ❤🎉

[@guanaart]

Unforgettable memories!!

[@ixar8002]

2:00 there’s red palm, not bamboo :)

[@simpleinvirtue8481]

Just came across your KZbin. Food is served free all along the road leading up to the temple. Also drinks. As for the hooks, God didn't tell anyone to do that. It's the devotees who are doing it. Next time, that's this month on 25th January is Thaipusam, go in the early evening of the eve 24th January. Can see chariots out going towards this temple. It's a cooking in the evening.

[@kungchratoy6290]

Penang road famous Teochew Chendul is a must try if you're still in Penang 👍

[@guanaart]

The weather looks amazing!

[@sahraichami4460]

Pls dont use shoes at temple stairs it is pure prayer place all around the world🙏🌎🇲🇾

[@caitlinburman1590]

Tia, kudos to you. I don't know how you managed with the noise.

[@OnePackWanderers]

Tia was an absolute badass the whole day.

[@TheThaiStreet]

at 2:00, that is "Red palm or Lipstick palm".

[@sahraichami4460]

Temple is God place 🇲🇾🌎🙏

[@letstudy2day]

love the video as usual.

[@lalithavenkat3821]

Beautiful video sister 👌👍🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@PradeepRaajkumar1981]

It's Lord Muruga around the world including Tamilnadu South India. They pray for Lord Muruga

[@nicklausgiese]

I’ve always wondered if anyone has ever tried to steal your camera(s) when you sit it somewhere to film you guys walking away from a spot. Or has anyone tried to get your attention to let you know you’re walking away without your camera?

[@koksanwong]

Just watched yr sapporo trip n just found out that u guys are here in penang

[@OnePackWanderers]

Yea! Penang is a cool city 🙂

[@JinLaiOfficial]

I think they would pour the milk over the statue of Lord Murugan as an act of offering and worshipping. Its intriguing watching them singing and dancing along the music during kavadi aattam

[@donaldcroom1483]

about guarding the end tips of the piercing. we don’t know if there’s any chemicals involved. generally speaking, the pierce has opened a wound that blood must clot. so, of course, no moving the object or it opens the wound and here comes more blood. rather unsightly for masses of people to see.

[@palaninadeson3032]

Hi, no terrorism all the matters is humanity and prayers for Lord Muruga. Do you know why lord Muruga temples are always on hilltop like Penang, Batu caves.

[@Walts-Travel]

That's so intense 😳

[@keangwooichoo6138]

Same with batu caves

[@sonnyday6830]

I assume you fellas will be heading to India soon lol

[@aplim9741]

Hi! You guys have any plans on visiting the Philippines? :)

[@OnePackWanderers]

We definitely will 😊

[@aplim9741]

@@OnePackWanderers woohoo!

[@kelsey809]

👍🏼😊👍🏼

[@jegathisjegathis7295]

Please put back round song Tamil

[@OnePackWanderers]

Not allowed to :(

[@YYYT3]

May I know what time did u go?

[@OnePackWanderers]

I don’t remember the exact date but I think it was sometime in early February. A day or two before this video was posted.

[@YYYT3]

@@OnePackWanderers I mean the time u reach there. Morning? Noon? 4pm?

[@OnePackWanderers]

We started around 11am and spent most of the day there, until 4 or 5pm.

[@YYYT3]

@@OnePackWanderers thanks for the great info. 😁 Appreciate. I am going this year.

[@Meister21]

There are a lot of Indians in Malaysia. Hmm, fascinating.

[@Flaventuretoo]

I think the religious leader (I can't remember his title) pours the milk over some idols for a ritual that is called Paal Abhishegam.. other people who know more about it please correct me if I'm wrong ☺️

[@richardbarba2736]

A A A she is Japan in Penang

[@franciscoantonioramirezgar3663]

Good. Day. This. Is. Francisco. Antonio. Ramirez. Garcia. I. Am. Filipino. Citizen. I. Am. Here. In. Republic. Of. The. Philippines. I. Have. Pet. 🐕. Dog. I. Have. Philippine. Passport. To. Travel. Abroad. Video. Shown. Of. 2. Foreigner. Visit. Malaysia. In. This. Video. Thanks. So. Much.

[@keangwooichoo6138]

To do piercing, need to be vegetarian

[@Ongsansoy]

red palm

[@OnePackWanderers]

You right

[@chino2kill]

Awesome awesome 👏 video wow very good atmosphere. Don’t get me wrong but try engaging with the locals . It’s just my opinion . God bless you guys are the best couple very humble . 🤩

[@sirbobhatethenumberyoutubegive]

there also chap goh meh celebration at padang kota.. did u guys know it?