An estimated 2.5 million Hindu devotees visited Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur over the Thaipusam weekend, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in Southeast Asia. Likely the biggest event I've been to.
The festival commemorates Hindu deity Murugan defeating demon Surapadman. Devotees express their faith by carrying milk offerings or elaborate kavadis (portable shrines) some weighing up to 100 kg. Some of them spin and dance, creating visuals reminiscent of whirling dervishes. Others undergo ritual body piercings as acts of penance, with hooks or skewers symbolizing the holy spear (Vel) that was used to kill Surapadman.
Batu Caves, Malaysia, 2026.01.31