I know, I know, that sounds like the beginning of a bad essay for an intro religion course. I'll try not to make the post sound like one!

As I mentionned in the last posts, we've seen some interesting religious observances here, including:
-Ponggal and Chinese New Year (which I unfortunately missed) at the Roman Catholic Church

-the arrival of AH 1428 in the Islamic calendar (which none of the Muslims we asked seemed to know about, although it was a national holiday)

-an invitation into a mosque in Georgetown, by a very friendly 20-something year old named Mohammed. We were walking by admiring it (I love Mosque architecture--they are so often sunny and breezy!) when Mohammed shouted to us to come in, take off our shoes and get a tour.

I doubted that we'd be allowed in on closer inspection--we were both in shorts, although I think our knees were covered, and I certainly didn't have my head covered! No worries--he lent me a chador-like coat--"this is what women have worn since Eve, you know--Mary, the mother of Jesus, that's how she dressed!"--and didn't even let me cover my head--"don't worry. It's too hot!" We were shown around the mosque, which was more beautiful inside than out, and given a long explaination of Islam, with a lot of stress on the fact that jihad means struggle, that most Muslims aren't radicals (unfortunately, however, we were told that Shia's are), that Islam is compatible with modern science, and that it is really mostly the same as Christianity. We were sent off with several English brochures from a Saudi youth organization, and invited to come back anytime, including during prayers.

The most interesting religious rite we have witnessed, however, was Thaipusam, a Hindu celebration where devotees fulfill vows made to Murugan (previous readers may remember that we also saw the world's largest gold statue of Murugan at the Batu Caves, just outside Kuala Lumpur). Many of our travel books say this rite is banned in India and only happens in Malaysia and Singapore; however, I remember seeing the same event in South Africa in 2000, and a man we met in Georgetown says that it is observed in India, but differently. We went to Thaipusam on Penang, on Feb 1, 2007.

The vows to Murugan are often fulfilled by carring burdens--kavadis--from the main temple in town to the Murugan waterfall temple outside the city--about 7 km away. The kavadis can take many forms--a small bronze pot of milk, for example, or a huge statue of the god, or spikes driven through the skin, many of which have bells, fruit, milk pots, shells or flowers attached.

Devotees attach their kavadis at the temple in the city, and leave from there,

processing up to the waterfall temple--apparently, nearly a million people attended!

The base of the hill is quite a carnival atmosphere, with food stalls, books and religious articles for sale, even elephants!

At the end of the second day, Murugan's statue goes back to town in a chariot pulled by two bullocks. All along the route, people smash coconuts in front. As this is Malaysia, there is a huge Tamil population at the event, but we also noticed a number of Chinese participants, as well as tourists. The Hindus told us that they smash the coconuts in prayer to Ganesha, and as a symbol of purity. One Chinese family explained to us that participating in such an event is good luck, and would (hopefully?) ensure good fortune for their business, especially since it was so close to Chinese New Year.

I will, however, leave you with a warning--thanks to the staff of the Muzium Negara:

So, arrived in Malaysia last Thursday, and have noticed the following signs that we're no longer in Kansas (NB--I have never actually been to Kansas):
1. On Saturday, we to get a foot massage by the beach (yum!).  On the way, we ran into two monkeys--and once there, learned that reflexology "cures Most Kinds of Sickness" and is "good for ages" (I assume "all ages," but maybe they mean it has been used for ages)?  Engrish.com, here we come!
2. Sunday, we went back towards the beach, this time to the Hyatt (where we can use the gym and pool facilities) and ran into, no kidding, about 25-30 monkeys--old, young, men, women, babies on their mothers' tummies.  I think that they are crab-eating macaques--like this one
 

3. Sunday, we went to Mass at the local RC church (the Anglicans apparently have a habit of changing service times with little notice, so sometimes, if you show up for the 8:30 English service, there's no one there--as we found out!).  As you probably know, it was Epiphany in the Christian calendar--no big surprise.  However, in the Tamil calendar, it was Pongal, a harvest festival.  The "Tamil community" of the parish (this church, runs services in English, Mandarin, Tamil and Bahasa--we were at the bilingual English-Bahasa one) made a traditional sweetened rice pudding over a fire outside, which they brought up to the altar with the bread and wine.  After the prayer of consecration, six kids came up with bowls of incense, small clay lamps (like at Depavali) and TONS of flower petals, while the altar boys rang bells and hit a gong.  The last time I heard that many bells in a worship service was at a Kali temple!  These guys make high church Anglicans look rather tame with their "smells and bells."