For many Thaipusam devotees, the day begins with a haircut. This 3-year old woke up to a ‘good-hair-day’. Shaving of the head is another Thaipusam ritual and many barbers set up stalls there to provide ‘instant’ services.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 4000, f4, 1/1000 sec.
At the crack of dawn, another ritual takes place by the river. The cleansing ritual is supplemented by piped water due to the polluted river water. This is where the OM-D comes into its own, astonishing other shutterbugs shooting from a safe distance with a tele.
I placed the water resistant-camera directly under the shower. Me and the camera took a good dunking. Resolution was (naturally) somewhat affected because the lens was dripping with water. When push comes to shove, very few cameras can come near the OM-D and gushing water. I will also post a video later where you can see how severe the splashing was. Update: Video posted here.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 4000, f4, 1/1000 sec.
I arrived at Batu Caves at about 5am and was greeted by a pair of spinning LED kavadis under the moonlight. Traditionally, a wingman pulls the hooks attached to the bare back of the kavadi bearer. Now, we have two guys behind pushing a mini electricity generator on a trolley. Lol.
Instead of firing a flash, I used a slow exposure so the kavadis drew neon trails on the camera’s sensor, creating a beautiful light show.
The Thaipusam ritual of carrying of a kavadi is considered penance for one’s sins or the cleansing of one’s soul. Some bearers pierced their tongues or cheeks with a small spear or skewers as a gesture of unwavering devotion.
The annual Thaipuam Festival at Batu Caves Temple in Malaysia attract over a million devotees, visitors and tourists. It is one of the largest such celebrations outside the of state Tamil Nadu (India) where it began.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f4, 1.6 sec.
