GEORGE TOWN: Interior designer K. Kuma-raguru drew curious stares from devotees as he made his way up to the Arulmigu Bala-thandayuthapani hilltop temple in Jalan Kebun Bunga here.

It was easy to see why – he was wearing a pair of wooden sandals embedded with iron nails while balancing a milk pot on his head.

The 37-year-old conducted this rare spiritual penance, performed by ascetics from India centuries ago, in conjunction with Thaipusam.

Minutes before he started his journey up the steps to the temple, Kumaraguru went into a trance as his uncle, G. Seamreasan, placed some holy ash on his forehead.

Seamreasan then bound Kumaraguru’s feet to the sandals which had about 500 nails embedded in them.

Kumaraguru did not shed a drop of blood nor did he feel any pain as he began walking around the temple grounds before making his way to the hilltop.

Seamreasan said he had carried out the penance for the past six years but could not fulfil the rite this year as his mother-in-law had died recently.

“As the rite had to be continued, I asked Kumaraguru to take over this year,” he said.

Kumaraguru was joined by some 100 devotees, members of the Penang Hindudharma Mamandram and their families who carried the mayil kavadi (kavadi made from peacock feathers), milk pots and other essential items up to the temple.

The organisation’s vice-president V. Nanda–kumar said this was the seventh consecutive year that the members were taking part in the special prayers.

“When we first started out, we only had about 30 devotees but this number grew over the years as more devotees realised they could fulfil their prayers to Lord Muruga without having to face the large crowd on Thaipusam day,” he said.

Source: The Star - February 07, 2009