- Title: SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA: HINDUS PIERCE BODIES WITH SKEWERS IN CEREMONY OF PENITENCE.
- Date: 2nd February 1972
- Summary: 1. GV Crowd gathered in street with float in Singapore 0.13 2. CU Man having lip pierced with needle 0.16 3. CU Wires attached to man's back (2 shots) 0.24 4. CU Man having cheek pierced with needle (2 shots) 0.32 5. SV Young boy with needle through cheeks 0.35 6. CU Man with spear through cheeks, PAN to needles being attacked to his chest 0.38 7. CU Man with elaborate chains and decorations attacked to his body by needles 0.45 8. SV Procession moves off(4 shots) 1.05 9. TGV Kuala Lumpur, mass procession through streets 1.10 10. SV People dancing in streets with needles pierced through bodies (2 shots) 1.22 11. CU Man with needle through tongue 1.25 12. GV Procession through streets (2 shots) 1.33 13. GV Crowds at night around fires in street (2 shots) 1.39 14. SV People blessing a ceremonial flame 1.42 Initials ES. 1122 ES. 11.40 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 17th February 1972 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SINGAPORE & KUALA LUMPUR
- City:
- Country: Singapore Malaysia
- Reuters ID: LVA8GX4L0SDZIQ7LNON886SLYGU
- Story Text: Millions of Hindus of Tamil origin celebrated the annual Thaipusam festival of penance on Sunday (30 January). In the ceremony, professed sinners pierce their bodies with spikes and skewers as an act of penitence. It marks the birthday of Lord Subramaniam to whom Tamils turn for absolution.
The punishment is known as Kavadi -- the piercing of the body. To some it's a punishment only in the mind as they don't feel the pain. For those that do suffer, a herbal pain-killer is provided.
In Singapore, the devotees paraded through the streets to their temple. In Kuala Lumpur, they made a pilgrimage to the Batu Caves, outside the city, which the Tamils regard as a holy place
This film has natural sound throughout.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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