Waiting

Mt Emily Park, Singapore.

Health & Hope

Singapore General Hospital.

Light & Life

Pagoda

Roof detail, chinese temple, Teck Whye Lane, Singapore.

In my neighbourhood there is a chinese temple, a Hindu temple, a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic cathedral, a few different Protestant churches, and a couple of roadside shrines, all within a couple of blocks of each other. The different religions have coexisted peacefully here in this little corner of Singapore for a long time. They were all already here when I moved in a little over 10 years ago.

With all the religious strife in the news, it's heartening for me just to remember that fact.

Blue Lady

St Joseph's Church, Victoria Street Singapore.

Thaipusam - Coda

Returning home from the temple.

It's been an interesting experience taking photographs of the procession. I tried to shoot all the shots in the series photo journalist style with minimal post processing (except for this shot).

I tried this approach because the procession has passed through my neighborhood year after year, and I've only ever just casually watched it pass by for a few moments before turning away and returning to my life. The procession has always seemed strange and inexplicable to me. A scene from a dream or another world. Following the procession for a morning doing pj style coverage, and getting comments from readers has helped me understand how and why the devotees do this odyssey each year.

Photographic Notes

I shot this entire series using a Nikkor 18-200 f3.5-5.6 VR. The idea was to have enough range to do the wide shots and the close ups without needing to change lenses. This worked fairly well, but I could have worked the portraits a bit better. At the range I was shooting at, probably only tight headshots at full zoom would generate sufficient bokeh with this lens. I didn't go tight enough on most of these shots, so the background isn't blurred enough. On reflection, I probably should have switched to my 50 mm lens to go for more risky shots after I'd done one round of coverage with the main lens.

On the series of as a whole, I think that the establishing shots of the procession are not necessary. This event is sufficiently well known and photographed in Singapore that I probably could have gone straight to the detail shots. As ever, I'd appreciate any thoughts you have on the series. It's been great reading your comments.

Thaipusam, Singapore - Heroes

A tired smile after completing the procession.

After completing the procession, the Kavadi carriers remove the hooks and spikes and rub ash into the wounds to prevent bleeding. There is a first aid tent next to the area where the devotees remove their kavadis. I was photographing near the first aid tent for a couple of hours, but the only people I saw asking for first aid were tourists or pedestrians suffering from heatstroke. I didn't see any kavadi carriers requiring first aid. I didn't see any bleeding either after the hooks were removed. How do the carriers manage to carry their heavy kavadis, some with metal hooks through their skin, for four kilometers under the broiling sun? From watching the procession closely this year, here are my thoughts:

• They are mentally prepared for the ordeal. The devotees have have fasted, prayed and followed a strict vegetarian diet during the Thaipusam month. This preparation must be invaluable in building up the mental toughness required for the task.
• No one does this alone. Each kavadi carrier has a support group of friends and family who follow along with the carrier during the procession. The group will sing and chant to keep the spirits of the carrier up. The group will even physically support the carrier if the burden gets too much along the path.
• They are powerfully motivated to complete the journey. The devotees believe that carrying the kavadi as a fulfillment of a vow will result in having their wishes granted. This faith in the possibility of having the heart's desire granted must be a powerful driving force when thing get tough along the road.

Giving thanks after the procession.

Thaipusam, Singapore - Arrival

Waiting to enter the temple.

After a four kilometer barefoot walk in the noon day sun, the devotees wait patiently to enter the temple. The procession starts before dawn, but those doing the walk at noon probably have the toughest time of it. The temple has to stop the devotees coming through for about 10 minutes to do the mid-day prayers. During that time a little traffic jam of kavadi's develop. The waiting is difficult. Exhausted after the long walk and enduring the spikes, some are close to fainting and have to be supported by their friends.

Despite their exhaustion, the long line, and the wait to enter, reaching the temple and the end point of their arduous journey is a cause of celebration. The group of people supporting the kavadi carrier will throw a coconut on the ground to shatter it as an offering. Groups break into song, whistling, singing and drumming to support the carrier. The devotees often spin into dance in an emotional burst to get them through the last lap.

Whirl


That last lap gets even tougher. Some devotees will don these nailed clogs to climb the final steps of the temple steps to deliver their offerings.



Nailed clogs!

Thaipusam, Singapore - Kavadis

Milk Pot Kavadi, Thaipusam procession, Singapore.

The Thaipusam celebration originates from the story of a follower of Lord Murugan, who received a calling to pay homage to the deity on a hilltop shrine. Carrying a heavy burden of offerings, the devotee sang hymns of praise along the way. Pleased with the devotion of this supplicant, Lord Murugan showered blessings on him. Thaipusam commemorates this event, and even today, the faithful believe that any devotee carrying a kavadi to the temple, will have their wishes granted.

Kavadi means yoke used for carrying burdens. Today the kavadis carried by devotees range from the original wooden yoke, simple milk pots and offering hooked to the skin, to elaborate chariots and peacock feathered, Alagu Kavadis with at least a hundred metal skewers piercing the flesh.

Wooden Yoke Kavadi




Kavadi with hooked offerings




Chariot Kavadi




Spiked Alagu Kavadi

Thaipusam, Singapore - Procession

Thaipusam procession, Clemenceau Avenue, Singapore.

Yesterday, Hindus in Singapore celebrated Thaipusam. Hundreds of devotees walked barefoot from the Serangoon Road Temple under the scorching sun and upon the roasting asphalt, many carrying heavy kavadis, their bodies pierced with metal skewers and hooks. Their destination? The Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road.

Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, Tank Road.

Wildflowers

Albany, Western Australia.

This pic makes me strangely happy. Must be the memory of sunshine on my skin, the tang of the salt air and the carefree wanderlust of a week on the open road.

Elsewhere:

Singapore-born photographer, Simon Wheateley has been accepted by Magnum Photo, the photographic group founded by Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa and others. Simon gives an audio interview where he talks about about surviving in the beginning, shooting weddings and ending up photographing drug users in Amsterdam.

Heliconia Summer

Heliconia in bloom - Cambridge Road, Singapore.

The Door

Carlisle Road, Singapore

Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom

Installation artwork, Singapore General Hospital.

To me a visit to the hospital has always been a time of sadness or fear. But I guess that at least once in everyone's life, a visit to the hospital will be a time of happines and rejoicing. This artwork in the SGH O&G ward reflects that time of hope amidst the ongoing battle against mortality.

Elsewhere:

Raul Gutierrez of Mexican Pictures takes inspiring condid portraits while on his travels through remote regions. An interview at 2point8 discusses Raul's technique for getting these shots - take out the camera only when you are ready to leave.

It's encouraging to think that being a friendlier, more considerate person, improves your photography. This is a technique I know I would benefit from practicing.

Rainbow Banner

Fjiordland, New Zealand.

On the return journey from Milford Sound, we discovered this waterfall along a lonely path. The sun was at just the right angle to create this banner which furled and unfurled in the spray.

Reach

This piece reflects how I feel right now. Trying, but not quite getting there.

Into the Sun

Wharton Beach, Esperance, Western Australia.

The trip to WA, was a chance for me to try landscape photography. It's been like developing a new vocabulary of photography This shot, like yesterday's is an experiment to discover what works for me in these type of shots.

Photography in Singapore:

I was delighted to discover the website of the Nature Photographic Society of Singapore. The site is choc full of spectacular nature photography and interesting articles. In browsing the site, I've discovered that you can use rotting shrimp as bait to photograph butterflies!

The passion for photography and nature shines through in the photographs on this site.