For many people, going on holiday is a chance to venture into a whole other universe where we hit pause on our daily lives. The regular routines in our monotonous lives are put under suspension and we count the days to those times as they are approaching because we believe we’ll be liberated from the stressful burdens that we put up with everyday. So what happens when it’s time to come back home and “face reality”? It’s no wonder many travelers suffer from post-holiday blues after an exhilarating vacation.


The transition process may take a toll on you- imagine you’ve just spent a whole relaxing week at a beach resort in Krabi when you have to return to a pile of work that’s been long overdue. Instead of wallowing in post-travel depression and constantly going over the hundreds of photos you’ve taken during your blissful trip, why not fight against it and overcome those post-holiday blues? Here are some strategies you can try out to keep the blues away even after you’re back from holidays:

Send postcards to yourself
While you’re still on holiday, make it a habit to send postcards to yourself. Go old school and pen out what you did that day and how you were feeling- simply write to yourself. Then slap a stamp on it, address it to yourself back home and slip it into a post box. As you can never predict how the postal systems work for each country you visit, you never know when the postcard will arrive you and we’re sure when it does it will definitely give you a pleasant surprise.


Make new friends and stay in touch
It’s one of those things that keep the travel alive. Whether it’s a local or a fellow traveler like yourself, forge a new friendship when you’re on holiday. Perhaps it’s someone you met on the plane, or someone you bunked with in a hostel, if you get along well why not get their contacts and stay in touch even after your trip? It’s a lot easier to stay in touch now with online communications and social networking sites. If they have a blog, follow and read their recently posted entries. Commit yourself to doing some kind of regular communication activity with your friends from all over the world. Bring the local food back home
Tasted one of the best curries you’ve ever had in India? Why not buy some curry powder home and attempt to recreate the dishes from your travels? Although the taste might not be exactly the same, but it might help bring back some memories of that fondly-remembered holiday. So every time you need a little vacation escape, just turn to your kitchen cabinet and whip up that delectable dish!

Forget souvenirs, get something useful instead
Many travellers would think that key chains, T-shirts and magnets are great memorabilia to bring home. But the truth is most of these souvenirs would just be tossed into the drawer and they won’t be noticed after awhile. Instead of buying a polyresin photo frame that screams “AUSTRALIA”, why not bring home inexpensive items from that country which you are more likely to use and incorporate into your daily lives? It’ll be much more practical to bring home a bar of organic virgin coconut soap from Indonesia or bamboo table mats and coasters from Japan. You’ll get a little reminder of that trip every time you wash your hands or just before you place your coffee mug on the coaster.
Share your travel experiences with everyone
This is surely one of the best ways to bring your trip home. Recall details about your trip and create blogs and travel reviews about some of the places you visited. Take the time to go through your photos, edit them, make collages out of them and post them up for the world to see. If you shot some great video footages, unleash your creative side and make fun short movies/ travelogues out of them. These activities help process your travel experiences as you are reliving the moment when you attempt to record details of the holiday. You don’t need to punish yourself by shutting the memories away when you go back to work. Wanna know where to start? Well, this is where Koolred comes in so share your travel experiences today.


Learn a new skill
Perhaps you have just returned from Paris and you fell in love with the French language that you want to try and grasp it? Or maybe you were so intrigued by the Thai boxing sport, Muay Thai after returning from Chiang Mai that you want to sign yourself up for a local class? Travelling is a learning experience, and even after your holiday you can still continue to learn about the country. Enhance your skills and enrich your life even after travelling. You couldn't have picked a better time than after returning from your holiday to teach yourself new skills.
 

Start planning for your next adventure
Are you in need of another escape? Then start saving and building up your holiday fund- give yourself something to look forward to. If you don’t think you have the time or funds to go for an extravagant trip, work on something small and simple. It could be a road trip with your buddies, or a weekend getaway with your partner/ children. Joy can come in the simple pleasures in life so it doesn’t mean you need to overspend to be fully contented. Before you know it, you’ll be off to your next trip once again.

We hope our list of tips can help you travellers conquer those post-travel blues. Some of our Twitter followers also had some tricks up their sleeves to combat post-travel woes:



As frequent travellers, we’re sure many of you have experienced post-travel troubles. Do you have any tips to preserve that post-travel glow?
Share with us some of the ways you beat the post-travel blues.

For many people, going on holiday is a chance to venture into a whole other universe where we hit pause on our daily lives. The regular routines in our monotonous lives are put under suspension and we count the days to those times as they are approaching because we believe we%u2019ll be liberated from the stressful burdens that we put up with everyday. So what happens when it%u2019s time to come back home and %u201Cface reality%u201D? It%u2019s no wonder many travelers suffer from post-holiday blues after an exhilarating vacation.


The transition process may take a toll on you- imagine you%u2019ve just spent a whole relaxing week at a beach resort in Krabi when you have to return to a pile of work that%u2019s been long overdue. Instead of wallowing in post-travel depression and constantly going over the hundreds of photos you%u2019ve taken during your blissful trip, why not fight against it and overcome those post-holiday blues? Here are some strategies you can try out to keep the blues away even after you%u2019re back from holidays:

Send postcards to yourself
While you%u2019re still on holiday, make it a habit to send postcards to yourself. Go old school and pen out what you did that day and how you were feeling- simply write to yourself. Then slap a stamp on it, address it to yourself back home and slip it into a post box. As you can never predict how the postal systems work for each country you visit, you never know when the postcard will arrive you and we%u2019re sure when it does it will definitely give you a pleasant surprise.


Make new friends and stay in touch
It%u2019s one of those things that keep the travel alive. Whether it%u2019s a local or a fellow traveler like yourself, forge a new friendship when you%u2019re on holiday. Perhaps it%u2019s someone you met on the plane, or someone you bunked with in a hostel, if you get along well why not get their contacts and stay in touch even after your trip? It%u2019s a lot easier to stay in touch now with online communications and social networking sites. If they have a blog, follow and read their recently posted entries. Commit yourself to doing some kind of regular communication activity with your friends from all over the world. Bring the local food back home
Tasted one of the best curries you%u2019ve ever had in India? Why not buy some curry powder home and attempt to recreate the dishes from your travels? Although the taste might not be exactly the same, but it might help bring back some memories of that fondly-remembered holiday. So every time you need a little vacation escape, just turn to your kitchen cabinet and whip up that delectable dish!

Forget souvenirs, get something useful instead
Many travellers would think that key chains, T-shirts and magnets are great memorabilia to bring home. But the truth is most of these souvenirs would just be tossed into the drawer and they won%u2019t be noticed after awhile. Instead of buying a polyresin photo frame that screams %u201CAUSTRALIA%u201D, why not bring home inexpensive items from that country which you are more likely to use and incorporate into your daily lives? It%u2019ll be much more practical to bring home a bar of organic virgin coconut soap from Indonesia or bamboo table mats and coasters from Japan. You%u2019ll get a little reminder of that trip every time you wash your hands or just before you place your coffee mug on the coaster.
Share your travel experiences with everyone
This is surely one of the best ways to bring your trip home. Recall details about your trip and create blogs and travel reviews about some of the places you visited. Take the time to go through your photos, edit them, make collages out of them and post them up for the world to see. If you shot some great video footages, unleash your creative side and make fun short movies/ travelogues out of them. These activities help process your travel experiences as you are reliving the moment when you attempt to record details of the holiday. You don%u2019t need to punish yourself by shutting the memories away when you go back to work. Wanna know where to start? Well, this is where Koolred comes in so share your travel experiences today.


Learn a new skill
Perhaps you have just returned from Paris and you fell in love with the French language that you want to try and grasp it? Or maybe you were so intrigued by the Thai boxing sport, Muay Thai after returning from Chiang Mai that you want to sign yourself up for a local class? Travelling is a learning experience, and even after your holiday you can still continue to learn about the country. Enhance your skills and enrich your life even after travelling. You couldn't have picked a better time than after returning from your holiday to teach yourself new skills.
 
Start planning for your next adventure
Are you in need of another escape? Then start saving and building up your holiday fund- give yourself something to look forward to. If you don%u2019t think you have the time or funds to go for an extravagant trip, work on something small and simple. It could be a road trip with your buddies, or a weekend getaway with your partner/ children. Joy can come in the simple pleasures in life so it doesn%u2019t mean you need to overspend to be fully contented. Before you know it, you%u2019ll be off to your next trip once again.

We hope our list of tips can help you travellers conquer those post-travel blues. Some of our Twitter followers also had some tricks up their sleeves to combat post-travel woes:

As frequent travellers, we%u2019re sure many of you have experienced post-travel troubles. Do you have any tips to preserve that post-travel glow?
Share with us some of the ways you beat the post-travel blues.

Happy Birthday, YouTube!

Yes, not only is it Valentine’s Day but YouTube was launched on this very day seven years ago. With over a trillion playbacks on YouTube last year, the user generated video site continues to engage more and more users every day. YouTube was first created by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim as a video sharing site which provides the opportunity to upload and share home videos without the use of any hi-tech gadgets but simple video cameras or cell phones instead!


Although YouTube’s anniversary is officially 14 February 2005, the first video posted on YouTube was actually on 23 April 2005. Bet most of you have never thought of searching for the first every YouTube video. But here it is- a 19 second video featuring one of the YouTube founders, Jawed Karim at a zoo in San Diego titled “Me at the zoo”:


Youtube has also changed video making over the years. Amateur video makers are beginning to shine and plenty of artistic Do-It-Yourself animation has been brought to light. Instead of shooting in the regular, linear manner, some video enthusiasts experiment with different techniques to give their videos a more different, unusual and memorable edge. One of our favourites is a creative video titled “MOVE” by travel agents, STA Travel Australia where a six week journey is crammed into one colourful minute. We gotta say the video editing simply blew us away, we don’t think we need to explain why we love it:


Doesn’t that just make you wanna pack your bags and go explore the world?

Thanks to YouTube, many YouTubers are able to upload their original videos for free and some have even found fame via the video sharing site. Teenage popstar sensation, Justin Bieber posted homemade videos of himself singing on Youtube when he was only 12. By then talent scouts were already noticing him and one of them arranged for the youngster to meet with Usher, who has signed him up as his protégé. Check out Bieber belting out a tune before he had hit stardom:

Is there a YouTube video you love or a channel that you’re subscribed to and you watch religiously? How has Youtube changed your life? Do you personally have a channel on Youtube? Drop us your shout out to YouTube as they celebrate yet another successful anniversary.

Koolred's on YouTube as well. Suscribe to us today.

Happy Birthday, YouTube!

Yes, not only is it Valentine%u2019s Day but YouTube was launched on this very day seven years ago. With over a trillion playbacks on YouTube last year, the user generated video site continues to engage more and more users every day. YouTube was first created by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim as a video sharing site which provides the opportunity to upload and share home videos without the use of any hi-tech gadgets but simple video cameras or cell phones instead!


Although YouTube%u2019s anniversary is officially 14 February 2005, the first video posted on YouTube was actually on 23 April 2005. Bet most of you have never thought of searching for the first every YouTube video. But here it is- a 19 second video featuring one of the YouTube founders, Jawed Karim at a zoo in San Diego titled %u201CMe at the zoo%u201D:



Doesn%u2019t look like much, does it? But this revolutionary idea quickly caught up with the rest of the world and a year later, more than 65,000 videos were uploaded on to YouTube every single day!

Youtube has also changed video making over the years. Amateur video makers are beginning to shine and plenty of artistic Do-It-Yourself animation has been brought to light. Instead of shooting in the regular, linear manner, some video enthusiasts experiment with different techniques to give their videos a more different, unusual and memorable edge. One of our favourites is a creative video titled %u201CMOVE%u201D by travel agents, STA Travel Australia where a six week journey is crammed into one colourful minute. We gotta say the video editing simply blew us away, we don%u2019t think we need to explain why we love it:
Doesn%u2019t that just make you wanna pack your bags and go explore the world?

Thanks to YouTube, many YouTubers are able to upload their original videos for free and some have even found fame via the video sharing site. Teenage popstar sensation, Justin Bieber posted homemade videos of himself singing on Youtube when he was only 12. By then talent scouts were already noticing him and one of them arranged for the youngster to meet with Usher, who has signed him up as his prot

Sometimes Valentine’s Day doesn’t always turn out the way you expect it to be.
Have you ever had a whole wonderfully, romantic day planned for your beau and it went horribly wrong? Or perhaps your last minute plans surprisingly turned out spectacularly successful? Either way, your real life Valentine’s Day experiences would simply make you laugh as you reminisce about the good memories.


Valentine’s Day is not too long away, and for some of us we’re just fresh out of romantic ideas! So we thought it’ll be fun to ask our followers and Redsters about their own funny (or embarrassing, maybe?) encounters on this day of love. We’ve gathered a couple of short funny stories, real life stuff that we’re sure will make you laugh, cringe or even tear.


Here are two of our most favourite ones from the lot:

Redster Andrew Chee decides to bring some spice into his own love life, literally:




Ooops! Perhaps two things don’t necessarily go well together even though they’re two of your favourites. But don’t worry, Andrew assures that his then-crush was quick to brush off that awkward situation though she still jokes about those ‘savoury’ cookies every time they walk past a Famous Amos Cookies outlet.

Another real life tale that made us go “Awww” was Redster Parvin Nair’s Valentine’s Day surprise:


We gotta say kudos to your man for being such a great sport, Parvin! The story definitely made us laugh but it was definitely a good twist to the surprise.

We at Koolred have some little gifts for all of you this Valentine’s Day as well. We have a collection of sweet, romantic Koolgifts for you to send out if you want to spread the love to your Koolred pals:


We also have our lovey-dovey ‘Celebrations of Love’ theme for you to apply on your profile to commemorate the special day:


Before we take off, we’d like to thank our two Redsters Andrew Chee and Parvin Nair for sharing their hilarious tales with us. We hope this year’s Valentine’s Day would just be as memorable for the both of you.

Got a great Valentine’s Day tale to tell? Give us your two cents: What was the funniest Valentine’s Day you’ve ever had? If your Valentine’s has yet to be filled with funny memories, you can share with us your most unforgettable Valentine’s Day instead. We would love to hear your real life, love stories.

Sometimes Valentine%u2019s Day doesn%u2019t always turn out the way you expect it to be.
Have you ever had a whole wonderfully, romantic day planned for your beau and it went horribly wrong? Or perhaps your last minute plans surprisingly turned out spectacularly successful? Either way, your real life Valentine%u2019s Day experiences would simply make you laugh as you reminisce about the good memories.


Valentine%u2019s Day is not too long away, and for some of us we%u2019re just fresh out of romantic ideas! So we thought it%u2019ll be fun to ask our followers and Redsters about their own funny (or embarrassing, maybe?) encounters on this day of love. We%u2019ve gathered a couple of short funny stories, real life stuff that we%u2019re sure will make you laugh, cringe or even tear.


Here are two of our most favourite ones from the lot:

Redster Andrew Chee decides to bring some spice into his own love life, literally:

%u201CMy funny Valentine%u2019s happened a few years ago. I was crushing on a classmate of mine and I thought it%u2019d be interesting to go over to her place with a surprise I had cooked up. Instead of going for the common gifts that you had to pay money for (we all know when it%u2019s Valentine%u2019s Day, everything is marked up), I got bold and decided to make her some homemade cookies- using my very own recipe. My girl crush at that time was a big fan of spicy food and cookies, so I decided why not put two of her favourite things into one?


It was the wrong move but at that time it seemed like a brilliant, fool-proof plan. I drove all the way to her house on Valentine%u2019s Day and presented her with an entire box of my homemade savoury cookies. She kindly accepted them and I nervously asked her to give one a try. Surprisingly she obliged as she took one and popped it into her mouth%u2026 and that%u2019s when it happened- she started coughing as she asked what were in those cookies. I guess I should not have gambled with a uniquely, original present but just played safe with presents like flowers and chocolates. I%u2019m pretty sure my savoury cookies gift made it the most unforgettable Valentine%u2019s Day for the both of us, in a weird way%u201D.


Ooops! Perhaps two things don%u2019t necessarily go well together even though they%u2019re two of your favourites. But don%u2019t worry, Andrew assures that his then-crush was quick to brush off that awkward situation though she still jokes about those %u2018savoury%u2019 cookies every time they walk past a Famous Amos Cookies outlet.

Another real life tale that made us go %u201CAwww%u201D was Redster Parvin Nair%u2019s Valentine%u2019s Day surprise:

%u201CI%u2019m a belly dancer and my boyfriend thought of surprising me with a personal belly dancing performance, complete with the outfit and even a little bit of makeup. On the day before Valentine%u2019s Day, he told me that he wouldn%u2019t be able to meet me up for Valentine%u2019s as he had to work late that day (this was all part of his plan). As there was nothing planned for me, I decided to continue with my own plans as normal- I give belly dancing lessons to kids on a part time basis. He knew I%u2019d be at my dance studio so he brought his surprise there. He waited for me in one of the dancing rooms and changed into the belly dancing outfit, complete with the upper garment, skirt and even the shimmering belts! What he didn't know was that the floor length mirror in the studio room he chose was a two way mirror and at the other side of the mirror, I was having class with a group of kids at that present moment. I then got news that I had to switch rooms to the other side, which was the room where my boyfriend was hiding.


My boyfriend was half way practicing his belly dancing moves when the kids and I suddenly barged in! We completely took him by surprise as he certainly did not expect anyone to walk in on him (and he wasn%u2019t supposed to be in the studio in the first place). The students started to let out giggles as they saw my boyfriend in the getup and they caught a glimpse of him busting a move during his practice as well. It was hilarious but really sweet as he performed officially for me%u2026 in front of all the kids and their parents too! It was a much more tamed version than what was originally planned, but it was a great Valentine%u2019s Day surprise nonetheless. Sigh, if only I snapped a photo of him in that belly dancing outfit to preserve the memory%u201D.


We gotta say kudos to your man for being such a great sport, Parvin! The story definitely made us laugh but it was definitely a good twist to the surprise.

We at Koolred have some little gifts for all of you this Valentine%u2019s Day as well. We have a collection of sweet, romantic Koolgifts for you to send out if you want to spread the love to your Koolred pals:
We also have our lovey-dovey %u2018Celebrations of Love%u2019 theme for you to apply on your profile to commemorate the special day:


Before we take off, we%u2019d like to thank our two Redsters Andrew Chee and Parvin Nair for sharing their hilarious tales with us. We hope this year%u2019s Valentine%u2019s Day would just be as memorable for the both of you.
Got a great Valentine%u2019s Day tale to tell? Give us your two cents: What was the funniest Valentine%u2019s Day you%u2019ve ever had? If your Valentine%u2019s has yet to be filled with funny memories, you can share with us your most unforgettable Valentine%u2019s Day instead. We would love to hear your real life, love stories.

Caution: This post is not for the faint-hearted


It’s one of the most fascinating festivals the world has ever seen.

A bizarre yet colourful Hindu festival, Thaipusam is an annual event that takes place within the Indian community of Malaysia, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. The word ‘thai’ is the Hindu month which falls in between of mid January and mid February, while ‘pusam' refers to a star which is at its brightest during the period of this festival.

On 7 February 2012, millions of devotees will be drawn together to commemorate the victory of the Hindu deity Lord Murugan (also known as Lord Subramaniam) over a powerful demon, Surapadman. They will also go to temples to pray for the Lord’s good blessing for the new year.


To many people, Thaipusam is a stomach-churning festival where devotees are subjected to painful rituals like piercing themselves with hooks. Redster Pushparaaja Munusamy, a photograph extraordinaire gives us a deeper insight on this out-of-this-world experience by sharing some of the fascinating captures he caught of this affair in Malaysia.

The Procession
In Malaysia, the most famous pilgrimage and focal point on the Thaipusam day is at Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur as devotees head out in a 15km procession from the Sri Mahamariamman Temple. The procession starts at the wee hours of the morning and can last up to eight hours.


Devotees will start by cleansing their bodies through fasting and abstinence, and usually observe a vegetarian diet for a certain period of time. On the day of Thaipusam, pilgrims will wash themselves in nearby rivers as well as have their heads shaved.  


The newly shaven head is then smeared with sandalwood, a pale yellow powder which is holy to the Hindus.


In a trance, the devotees will then make their way to the temple where they will endure great flights of stairs to the cave.


The Kavadi
Devotees undergo the walk, carrying containers of milk, water, fruits and floral tributes as offerings to Lord Murugan either by hand or on their heads.


However some devotees will carry the offerings on their shoulders using decorated carriers called kavadi. The carrying of the kavadi is known to be one of the most fascinating sights of the festival. The kavadi can be as simple as a wooden stock with two baskets at each ends, slung across the shoulder. But some kavadi are decorated with flowers and peacock feathers as well as adorned with many brass bells.


There are also other types of kavadi that involve hooks, skewers and small lances called vel being stuck into the devotee’s body, where pots and fruits are hung.


Some hooks are attached to the backs of the devotees and they are either pulled by another walking behind or hung on chariots and decorated bullock carts.


As the chariot passes the streets, other devotees smash coconuts as offerings and give thanks to the deity as well as for the devout to cleanse themselves of sin.


The Body Piercing
It’s believed that a devotee should go to the extreme by inflicting as much torture as they can on their bodies to appease the Lord Murugan.


Many pierce their tongues and cheeks using spears as a constant reminder of the Lord, where their speech is impaired and therefore they have full concentration and better endurance in the walk. Consecrated ash is sprinkled over the hooks and skewers before they are removed from the flesh of the devotees. There is no blood shed during the process of piercing and removal of the hooks.


Malaysia is a multicultural country and although Thaipusam is usually celebrated by the Indians, there have been sights of people from other races and ethnic groups that bear the kavadi and pay homage to Lord Murugan. People from all over the world come to witness this exciting festival unravel before their eyes.


Intriguing, isn’t it?

Koolred would like to give big thanks to our helpful Redster Pushparaaja and his brilliant photos to paint us a picture of what goes on during Thaipusam. We could not have done it without you!

We have some Redsters who have shared their Thaipusam experiences on Koolred. Redster Andrea Tan blogged about having the opportunity to witness Thaipusam, claiming it’s a festival that everyone “should experience at least once in their lifetime”.

If you’re a Shutterbug and you wanna make Thaipusam your next photo visit this year, then check out Redster Riki Lee’s photowalk as he shares his collection of photos as well as some tips on Thaipusam photography.

Caution: This post is not for the faint-hearted


It%u2019s one of the most fascinating festivals the world has ever seen.

A bizarre yet colourful Hindu festival, Thaipusam is an annual event that takes place within the Indian community of Malaysia, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. The word %u2018thai%u2019 is the Hindu month which falls in between of mid January and mid February, while %u2018pusam' refers to a star which is at its brightest during the period of this festival.

On 7 February 2012, millions of devotees will be drawn together to commemorate the victory of the Hindu deity Lord Murugan (also known as Lord Subramaniam) over a powerful demon, Surapadman. They will also go to temples to pray for the Lord%u2019s good blessing for the new year.


To many people, Thaipusam is a stomach-churning festival where devotees are subjected to painful rituals like piercing themselves with hooks. Redster Pushparaaja Munusamy, a photograph extraordinaire gives us a deeper insight on this out-of-this-world experience by sharing some of the fascinating captures he caught of this affair in Malaysia.

The Procession
In Malaysia, the most famous pilgrimage and focal point on the Thaipusam day is at Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur as devotees head out in a 15km procession from the Sri Mahamariamman Temple. The procession starts at the wee hours of the morning and can last up to eight hours.


Devotees will start by cleansing their bodies through fasting and abstinence, and usually observe a vegetarian diet for a certain period of time. On the day of Thaipusam, pilgrims will wash themselves in nearby rivers as well as have their heads shaved.  


The newly shaven head is then smeared with sandalwood, a pale yellow powder which is holy to the Hindus.


In a trance, the devotees will then make their way to the temple where they will endure great flights of stairs to the cave.


The Kavadi
Devotees undergo the walk, carrying containers of milk, water, fruits and floral tributes as offerings to Lord Murugan either by hand or on their heads.


However some devotees will carry the offerings on their shoulders using decorated carriers called kavadi. The carrying of the kavadi is known to be one of the most fascinating sights of the festival. The kavadi can be as simple as a wooden stock with two baskets at each ends, slung across the shoulder. But some kavadi are decorated with flowers and peacock feathers as well as adorned with many brass bells.


There are also other types of kavadi that involve hooks, skewers and small lances called vel being stuck into the devotee%u2019s body, where pots and fruits are hung.


Some hooks are attached to the backs of the devotees and they are either pulled by another walking behind or hung on chariots and decorated bullock carts.


As the chariot passes the streets, other devotees smash coconuts as offerings and give thanks to the deity as well as for the devout to cleanse themselves of sin.


The Body Piercing
It%u2019s believed that a devotee should go to the extreme by inflicting as much torture as they can on their bodies to appease the Lord Murugan.


Many pierce their tongues and cheeks using spears as a constant reminder of the Lord, where their speech is impaired and therefore they have full concentration and better endurance in the walk. Consecrated ash is sprinkled over the hooks and skewers before they are removed from the flesh of the devotees. There is no blood shed during the process of piercing and removal of the hooks.


Malaysia is a multicultural country and although Thaipusam is usually celebrated by the Indians, there have been sights of people from other races and ethnic groups that bear the kavadi and pay homage to Lord Murugan. People from all over the world come to witness this exciting festival unravel before their eyes.


Intriguing, isn%u2019t it?

Koolred would like to give big thanks to our helpful Redster Pushparaaja and his brilliant photos to paint us a picture of what goes on during Thaipusam. We could not have done it without you!

We have some Redsters who have shared their Thaipusam experiences on Koolred. Redster Andrea Tan blogged about having the opportunity to witness Thaipusam, claiming it%u2019s a festival that everyone %u201Cshould experience at least once in their lifetime%u201D.

If you%u2019re a Shutterbug and you wanna make Thaipusam your next photo visit this year, then check out Redster Riki Lee%u2019s photowalk as he shares his collection of photos as well as some tips on Thaipusam photography.