Thaipusam each year brings with it the colourful sights and sounds of tradition that is missing from much of the remade Singapore. This year, the annual event which takes place on the day of the full moon during the Tamil month of “Thai” has been somewhat overshadowed by the Hindu Endowments Board’s guidelines which advises devotees of the existing ban on the playing of recorded music and use of gongs or drums during the procession. Nevertheless, Thaipusam, sans some of the familiar sounds, does bring a burst of colour and life to streets which are otherwise coloured only by the rush of traffic. For more information and photographs of Thaipusam in Singapore, please read my post published last year on last years procession at this link.
Scenes from 2011's Thaipusam in Singapore.
The Long and Winding Road 
I’ve just come back from the Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves in KL – it’s a major sensory overload, compared to the sedate celebration that we’re having in Singapore.
It must have rocked at the Batu Caves! Maybe I should catch Thaipusam there next year! The celebrations have indeed become a little subdued here although it did get a wee bit more lively in the evening when I drove by the area. You have any photos/videos of the celebrations at Batu Caves?
Everything here is all tamed down…where is the excitement?!! Sheesh…..it’s like having a club but you are not allowed to drink!
It does seem as if we have only been allowed controlled excitement – during state sponsored parades and street parties!
[…] 2011 – TOC: Thaipusam 2011 – A photo story – The Long and Winding Road: Sights sans sounds of Thaipusam in Singapore – Jacob 69er: {Videos} Plainclothes police officers stop drummers at […]
Yes it certainly did rock! The atmosphere was unbelievable and it was a total sensory experience. I’ve posted up photos on a facebook album here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=327103&id=751710655 and my girlfriend’s one here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=334963&id=644433622
A couple of years ago I was in Penang for the festival and I’ve got photos too: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=102855&id=751710655