Thaipusam

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival wherein devotees carry a burden, called the Kavadi. It could be as simple as a heavy object but some have hooks attached to their bodies or many long spikes that pierce some part of their body. Although I've been here in Singapore for six years, this is my first time to see it first hand (I seem to be saying this line a lot recently).

As Sam H and I were nearing the end of a roughly 3km walk, we discussed about why these people are doing this. I didn't exactly know the reason but from what I read, it was because of something they were asking their god for.

We walked more than 3km because we followed those who pierced themselves. Before seeing them for myself, I actually thought that the wires pierce their skin all the way to the other side of the skin and so they would actually feel the wire going under their skin. The wires just pierce some part of their skin to hold the metal in place. Not that I'm saying it doesn't hurt but I thought it hurt more.

I was rationalizing in my mind that what they're doing is similar to what others do: sacrifice something in order to get to the goal. But for them, the path to getting what they want is a lot more abstract. For example, sacrificing time with friends can easily be translated into more time for studying. But then, allowing oneself to get hurt because one is still holding on to the hope that the other person will love him/her back is a bit more of a stretch.

Suffering is prolonged pain, or so one of my English high school teachers said repeatedly at the start of at least five classes. I just wanted to say that.