Dear Friends,
From my arrival yesterday (after a pretty good nap in the Singapore "oasis" -- read sleeping room -- (thanks Kathleen's folks for the reassurance and good ideas)) we have been eating very well and our host Mr. Lee has been so very generous with showing us Kuala Lampur. I will post later about his traditional medicine shop and emphasis on the classics and case studies.
Because today, Dad and I had an amazing experience: we went to see the Batu Caves during the festival of Thaipusam. My friends it was crowded! The crowd was full of devotional yelling, the ground covered in shoes, and the action of the devotees incredible. The devotees (after much ritual) pierce their skin with hooks and spears or hold heavy or burning loads and walk through the street and up the temple into the cave -- when the ritual is over the devotees are able to remove their piercings without blood shed. I can only compare this to my own experiences with acupuncture needles which are hair thin and yet sometimes people bleed even from that. Do you see how it looks like some of the men are wearing capes of citrus fruit -- well each of those fruits are connected to a large hook and are stuck into the devotees back and the men that are carrying huge and heavy load on their shoulders dance up the stairs! There were also women carrying pot fulls of milk on their heads but it was harder to get pictures of them. We also saw inside some of the caves which are decorated with painted Hindu statuary and relief all the colors of the rainbow. Most incredible was the crowd that basically carried you up the stairs.
My best to all, E
From my arrival yesterday (after a pretty good nap in the Singapore "oasis" -- read sleeping room -- (thanks Kathleen's folks for the reassurance and good ideas)) we have been eating very well and our host Mr. Lee has been so very generous with showing us Kuala Lampur. I will post later about his traditional medicine shop and emphasis on the classics and case studies.
Because today, Dad and I had an amazing experience: we went to see the Batu Caves during the festival of Thaipusam. My friends it was crowded! The crowd was full of devotional yelling, the ground covered in shoes, and the action of the devotees incredible. The devotees (after much ritual) pierce their skin with hooks and spears or hold heavy or burning loads and walk through the street and up the temple into the cave -- when the ritual is over the devotees are able to remove their piercings without blood shed. I can only compare this to my own experiences with acupuncture needles which are hair thin and yet sometimes people bleed even from that. Do you see how it looks like some of the men are wearing capes of citrus fruit -- well each of those fruits are connected to a large hook and are stuck into the devotees back and the men that are carrying huge and heavy load on their shoulders dance up the stairs! There were also women carrying pot fulls of milk on their heads but it was harder to get pictures of them. We also saw inside some of the caves which are decorated with painted Hindu statuary and relief all the colors of the rainbow. Most incredible was the crowd that basically carried you up the stairs.
My best to all, E
4 comments:
wow elaine. wow.
i am sending you lots and lots of love and wishes.
elon
Elaine,
How fascinating! You are a great writer, this is my new entertainment. The ceremony pix are amazing. Keep up the fun and thanks for all the communication. Lucy
Elaine,
I was waiting to see your picture up there. Come on, those hooks are nothing compared to DU 1!
Patricia
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