103278 Devotees carrying spiked Kavadis, which require elaborate preparations, leave the temple in the later part of the morning and continue till night.
103279 The festival is not just an exclusively Indian affair; several Chinese devotees and people of other races also come to fulfill their vows on this day.
103280 The festival is a visual spectacle and it often brings traffic in the city centre to a standstill, with a colourful procession full of chanting and dizzying rhythms of Indian drums.
103281 In preparation for carrying a Kavadi, a devotee has to prepare himself spiritually.
103282 For a period of about a month, the devotee must live a life of abstinence whilst maintaining a strict vegetarian diet.
103283 It is believed that only when the mind is free of material wants and the body free from physical pleasures that a devotee can undertake the sacred task without feeling any pain.
103284 The devotees are normally accompanied by friends and family members who cheer and offer support, usually in the form of prayers and chants.
103285 Witness the sacred ritual of Thaipusam when in Singapore, a true act of faith.
103288 Hari Raya Haji, otherwise known as the “Festival of Sacrifice”, is celebrated over a period of three days by Muslims all over the world.
103289 It commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in the name of God.
103290 According to the Islamic calendar, Hijrah, this festival starts on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja, 70 days after the holy month of Ramadan.
103291 Practicing Muslims celebrate this auspicious day to mark the end of Hajj, the annual holy pilgrimage to Mecca.
103292 The Hajj, which is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, sees thousands of pilgrims simultaneously converge on the Holy land to perform a series of rituals.