Crisis are moments of truth. They bring to light the conflicts that in daily life are buried beneath the rules and routines of social protocol or behind the gestures that people make automatically.
Like Age. Age that lessens or increases the enjoyment of life also multiplies the desire for living. Things or events which, in the vigor of our youth, we took for granted, assume a bigger perspective in our daily living.
Strange contradiction in human nature, to which even the wise are liable. This Holy Week, If Daily Laborer, or You, should judge the part of life which lie before us, the prospect is hoping for hope for everybody from life’s daily turbulence.
And atonement for sin, whether we have done the sin or not. Like not helping those who make Baguio streets their couch and find short repose from wretchedness. These are strangers, wanderers and orphans – many of them who come from the lowlands – whose circumstances are too humble to expect redress and w whose distresses are too great even for pity.
Looking at these street people, their wretchedness brings horror rather than pity. Some sleep on the streets without the covering even of rags and others emaciated. Where do they get their food to live? You wonder.
The world has disclaimed them; society turned its back upon their distress and has given them up to the shackles of nakedness and hunger. These human beings who have once seen happier days.
Poor houseless creatures! And poor You and Daily Laborer, too. Born human and see the sufferings of wretches we cannot relieve!
The world will give reproach but will not give relief. The poor weep unheeded, persecuted by every species of tyranny and any law that gives them security becomes an enemy to them.
A feeling of tenderness for these wretches, but without the capacity of relieving their misfortunes, only makes You and Daily Laborer feel more wretched than these poor shivering street people who sue for assistance.
One does not need to go to the extent of self-flagellation or even crucifixion for an act of atonement for sins to be forgiven this Holy Week. One needs only sincerity of heart and mind.
Which reminds of Catholic devotees performing religious penance by self- flagellation and mock crucifixion done during Holy Week, yearly.
It was said that self-flagellation started in San Pedro Cutud, in Pampanga, where the first Sinakulo (embodying the story of the Passion) was held and where men bloodied themselves by whipping their backs while others carried the cross.
Now, if You think such self-torture is done only in the Philippines, think again. There are places in Asia, other than India, which practice self-torture as atonement for sins committed or as a sign of thanksgiving for a wish come true.
One such place is in Malaysia. Malaysian Hindus, during the festivity of “Thaipusam,” one of the most important in their religious calendar, would display their devotion by plunging needles, skewers and hooks into their bodied in a ritual of religious torture and penance, usually done on the festival day.
Others pierce their tongues and cheeks as a demonstration of thanksgiving and penance and many participants fall into a trance, or locally known as “arul vaku” which means they do not feel pain, nor bleed from the self-inflicted wounds.
Yearly, thousands of Malaysians converge on a mist-shrouded hill in a mountainous region at the Batu Caves temple about 30 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur. There, in an orgy of self-inflicted pain caused by needles pinned to their bodies or hooks attached to their tongues, cheeks and backs, they thank the god Subramaniam in a ceremony of religious torture that dates back centuries old.
Unlike in India where Daily Laborer witnessed on men participating in such rites or orgy, men, women and children in Malaysia pierce their tongues with spear-shaped needles or plunge skewers into their cheeks to the accompaniment of deafening drum beats and religious chants to show their devotion to Subramaniam.
For fulfilling their wishes, these people have made the Thaipusam Festival at Batu Caves one of Malaysia’s most important Hindu rituals.
It is celebrated nationwide, but it is at the caves where the biggest and bloodiest orgy of torture takes place and authorities hinted to Daily Laborer that yearly millions of visitors’ flock to the caves during the festivity.
In India, self-flagellation is also a form of religious discipline in many parts of the country. It is also practiced in Mexico and Peru.
In Malaysia, before the Thaipusam, Daily Laborer learned that before devotees subject their bodies and minds to the act of penance, they first have to go through a month of prayer, fasting and sexual abstinence.
While outsiders may view Thaipusam as a series of painful rituals and tough sacrifices for devotees, it is for them a celebration as they prepare their bodies and minds to fulfill their vows to their deity, Murugan.
A neat, young Malaysian fellow named Siti Nurul, explained that “It’s very important that devotees should be clean – physically and spiritually.” When Nurul spoke with Daily Laborer, he showed the scars of his wounds from hooks and skewers called “kavadi,” he used in the past.
“I always feel a sense of relief after doing this,” Nurul explained of his scars. “It is between Subramaniam and me,” he answered when Daily Laborer asked why he was doing it. He had been doing it for three years in a row.
It was pre-dawn when a horde of devotees scampered at the river near the Batu Limestone Caves last January. Wading into the shallow waters, they washed to purify themselves. Then sitting down, the devotees went into a deep trance.
At that time seeing them, Daily Laborer was puzzled how these people managed to put themselves into some sort of suspended animation. Then moving about like zombies seen only in movies and storybooks, they sank needles or skewers into their bodies while mounting kavadi on their shoulders as well.
After the ritual which never failed to draw gasps of disbelief from tourists and foreigners, the devotees moved n in a procession to the foot of the hill.
A grueling climb up 272 steps brought them to the dank, dark caves where a temple stood awash with coconut milk, a traditional Hindu offering.
Here, in an atmosphere reminiscent only out of a horror film, penitents foaming at the mouth like wild and raving animals, paid homage to Subramaniam, on their hands and knees.
It was the climax of the whole ritual. With the air pungent with incense and burning joss sticks and the whole congregation outlined in semi-darkness and smoke-filled interior, any visitor could readily feel the fanatical devotion of the participants.
Prayers an incantation over, the devotees march back to the clear morning light, slowly removing their hooks, needles, skewers and coming out of their trance.
Yearly, thousands of Malaysian devotees throng the Batu Caves to fulfill their vows as early as possible to avoid the horde of the massive millions of visitors congregating just 30 kilometers from the Malaysian capital.
In spite of this show of faith many who witnessed the rites brought out their reservation of thought that the religious significance of Thaipusam Festival will not someday turn into an artificial show.
Already, during the festival, were the presence of a host of persons whose purpose there was anything but religious. They were out there to make a fast buck.
During the three days of celebration, the grounds at the foot of the hill resembled a fun-fair. During this year’s Thaipusam, the Malaysian government approved the putting up of 290 stalls, a notable rise from the 236 stalls approved last year.
The bazaar of stalls featured anything that can be bought – except alcohol, with the terse warning to stall owners that “Failure to comply with this notice will result in revocation of your business license.”
The stop to selling of alcohol starts January 24 – the day Thaipusam starts too – and lasts until January 26.
Nurul who, resting from his ordeal and watching the business side of the Thaipusam Festival said to Daily Laborer, “One day, the wrath of Subramaniam will soon be on these people,” pointing to the business-minded Malaysians.
Although the Daily Laborer didn’t know if he should believe Nurul or not, still the sight of so many hawkers and the din created by so many people buying or haggling over wares made the Daily Laborer wonder if Nurul could be right.
Then Daily Laborer heard Nurul soberly tell a fellow devotee: “If this goes on, I will probably look for another temple to fulfill my vow during the next Thaipusam.”
This time, Daily Laborer believed in Nurul.