Two weeks ago, my friend Mike from NYC spent a few days visiting me in KL while on vacation in Thailand.  We made a day trip to the cultural town and tourist destination, Melaka (also spelled Malacca).  Melaka is known for its blend of cultures as a shipping port and UNESCO world heritage designation.

There is plenty to do and see in Melaka and we spent the day visiting mosques and temples, walking around the Portuguese Square, admiring the city’s scenic canal, and trying some of the town’s Nyonya cuisine.   For travelers with more time, 2 full days could easily be spent viewing all of Malacca’s sites and museums.

While walking in and out of handicraft shops and antique stores on Jonker Street, we came upon a store selling colorful paper replicas of hundreds of different goods wrapped in plastic bags.  From the cartoonish look of some of the items, at first I thought it might be a children’s shop.

Qing Ming Store

Qing Ming Store

Upon closer inspection, we detected many goods for adults, including Louis Vuitton inspired handbags, sports cars, lingerie, iPads, boxes of oranges for prosperity, tiny refrigerators stocked with high-end foods, different brands of beer, flip flops, motorcycles, Gucci look-alike briefcases, cruise ships, branded clothing, sail boats, telephones, loafers, and more.

Qing Ming Gucci Briefcase

Gucci-inspired Briefcase for the Deceased

I remembered reading an article in the Star newspaper about paper luxury items like these (including whiskey and oysters which I didn’t see, but wish I did!).  They are used as offerings of wealth for the deceased during the Chinese celebration Qing Ming, also known as Chinese All Souls Day and The Tomb Sweeping Day.

During the 10 days of Qing Ming, family members gather at cemeteries to honor deceased relatives and ancestors, upkeep the burial ground, and celebrate the onset of spring.  Food, paper money (also called hell notes or spirit money), prayer candles, joss sticks (incense sticks for prayers), and paper replicas of the departed’s favorite things are presented.

The paper money and luxury goods are then burned as offerings.  It is believed that the spirit of the deceased will be pleased with the items that are left and will rest well in the afterworld.  In turn, it is hoped that he or she will bring good tidings and blessings to family members.

In Malaysia, this year’s best-selling items to give to the deceased were iPads and macbooks.  (This article from the Malaysian Insider reveals that iPads were all sold-out and this article from the China Daily talks about how popular they are in Guangzhou.)

Qing Ming Beer & Ipad

Beer and iPads for Lost Loved Ones and Ancestors

In my opinion, Qing Ming is a wonderful way to bring the living together to honor those who have passed away.  While it isn’t an eco-friendly holiday, I like how it encourages people to think about lost loved ones and the hobbies they used to have, items that made them happy, or objects that the living associate with the deceased.  That said, I’d be reluctant to wait in line for an iPad in my daily life, let alone visit multiple stores to buy a paper replica.

Then again, if it would mean the world to a gadget-lover in his/her spirit life, then perhaps it is worth the wait.

Each day Chong Sheau Ching (C2) masterfully juggles her household responsibilities with managing eHomemakers (eH).  She paused between taking care of her elderly parents, mentoring her teenage daughter, tending to the garden, making lunch for her employees, and running eH from her home office to answer a few questions for us!

Ching Ching and Eco-Baskets

1.  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I didn’t have any aspiration; I was told that I should be a Chinese school teacher like my parents, grandparents (both sets) if I got to complete my 12 year of education. Failing which, I would be a clerk in a sundry shop or a coffee house.  The most important seeds of thoughts given to me was: get married, be a good wife and have sons.

2.  Aside from your family, what couldn’t you live without?

Dreaming of doing more than what I have resources and time for now — travel and discover new things, write, do documentary, all the fun things that also have social impact and change lives.

3.  What is the most challenging aspect of maintaining the Salaam Wanita eco-baskets project?

Helping low-income disadvantaged women to achieve self-reliance is not a common social work here, let alone helping them to work @ home on innovative value-added work and self-empower themselves. Such work needs long -term patience, special tailoring of the activities when possible and deep determination to make things work by the project team. There is no fixed formula. The public, partners/potential partners often misunderstand the goals, and how it can be done properly for sustainability.  Because of this, resources are constrained, making implementation difficult. Further more, such pro-poor concept is hard to implement among the beneficiaries because they are more used to activities that give short-term assistance than long -term hard work, so the drop-out rate after training is high as majority of the beneficiaries choose the short -term way to meet their immediate financial needs.  Also, we specifically choose patients of chronic illnesses to help, they have a lot more medical or mental problems that complicate the self-reliance path. Often we have to deal with women passing away due to medical problems or inadequate medical care.

4.  In what ways do you hope Kuala Lumpur will develop over the next 20 years?

A low-carbon footprint and crime rate city with proper public transport, efficient recycling systems and family-friendly activities.

5.  What advice would you give aspiring social entrepreneurs?

Do what U are passionate about and really hang on for the long haul. Just remember this: Deepavali- the Hindu festival that celebrates light over darkness is real.

Ching Ching discussing the eco-baskets

One of my favorite parts of experiencing a new culture is checking out advertisements and visual forms of media.  Many companies adapt their marketing strategies to fit regional norms and local consumer tastes rather than standardizing their marketing strategy.  Common foods and products often take on different characteristics based on where they are being sold.  Western fast food giants, like McDonald’s and Pizza Hut, are especially adept at customizing their ads, menus, and restaurants to fit local cultures.

From a monorail station in KL, I saw a huge McDonald’s billboard advertising a beef “Prosperity Burger” sold during Chinese New Year.  The burger is made to please local tastes with a spicy black pepper sauce and sliced onions on top.  As with all major fast food chains in Malaysia, the beef and chicken is Halal to ensure that all customers, including those of Islamic faith, can dine there.

McDonald's Prosperity Burger

McDonald's Prosperity Burger

Rather than a super-sized fountain soda, the Malaysian advertisement features two orange drinks.  Oranges are given to friends and family members during Chinese New Year as symbols of health and prosperity.   Instead of the salty shoelace fries McDonald’s is known for in the States, curly fries accompany the burger at this time of year in Malaysia.  (Locals have told me that they only buy the Prosperity Burger “for the curly fries.”)

McDonald’s colors are perfect for Chinese New Year.  Red is the dominant color during this time of year because it is believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck, fortune, and…prosperity!  Yellow or a golden color is associated with good luck and abundance and is commonly used for the lion costume in the Chinese Lion Dance.

As always, McDonald’s equates a visit to one of their locations with spending quality time with family and friends and making lasting memories.  Chinese New Year is a time for reuniting with family and engaging in annual traditions.  Watch this Prosperity Burger commercial to see how McDonald’s fits this meal into local culture.

There are six references to the main Chinese New Year traditions in this 40-second commercial.  First, it refers to “red packets,” which are red envelopes filled with cash and given by elders to the younger generation and those who are single for good luck.  These red envelopes are called “ang pow.”  Second, the commercial shows the family using chopsticks to toss the curly fries in the air.  This is a tradition commonly used for a dish called yee sang, is which made of shredded carrots, cucumbers, mango, raw fish, and other ingredients and is served as the first course during Chinese New Year dinners.  The entire table gathers around the dish and uses their chopsticks to toss it gently in the air and back on the platter.  Then everyone puts some of the yee sang in a small bowl and eats it for prosperity.

Third, the day and night before Chinese New Year, it is also common for Chinese families to clean their houses to clear away the past year and prepare the house for new beginnings.  Fourth, lion dance performances are held in pubic spaces throughout the month to ward off evil spirits.  Fifth, it is customary to show reverence for elders at family gatherings.  Finally, the most important aspect of Chinese New Year is being among family and friends and including those who may not have families of their own.  McDonald’s captures many of the most important aspects of Chinese New Year and persuades consumers that having them all is as easy as purchasing a Prosperity Burger meal.

A second example of localization is Pizza Hut’s “Ring of Fortune” pie.  Cheese on the pizza and in the corn-flake laden crust guarantees double the fortune and happiness and is a sure way to unite any family!  View a commercial for this Chinese New Year pizza here.

Pizza Hut Ring of Fortune

Pizza Hut Ring of Fortune

In the United States, fast food chains provide quick, inexpensive meals.  However, dining at an establishment like McDonald’s or Pizza Hut is a special occasion in Malaysia, as it is in many other countries around the world.  The menu is more expensive than many local options and most venues have waiters and nicer interiors to entice local customers into splurging on a meal for a Western dining experience.

A few months before I came to Malaysia, eH moved from their office location to a house in a residential neighborhood.   A house is the perfect working environment for an organization that encourages women to be entrepreneurial from home when it best fits their circumstances.  A house also provides ample space for basket weaving trainings, visitors and short term volunteers to stay over, a room with computers for staff members, and space for the eco-basket inventory.

During my first week at eHomemakers, I stayed late to help C2 and a longtime eH volunteer, Lucy, organize some files and other items.  C2 asked me to take a box of old invoices up a flight of stairs to a storage space that hangs over the second floor of the house.

Up the Stairs to the Storage Space

Up the Stairs to the Storage Space

I was hunched over, ready to push the box in when C2 yelled up that she had a great idea.  “Don’t come down yet!”

She ran up the flight of stairs with a small box and gave it to me to hold while she inspected the space.  She asked herself, “What is the perfect location?”

I looked at the box and wasn’t sure why it needed a perfect location.  It seemed like an ordinary box.

C2 opened up a wicker container that resembled a picnic basket and held out her hand for me to pass her the box.  She exclaimed, “Ah Ha!  Justina will like this.”  C2 gently slid the box in the container, cleared away the nearby boxes, closed the door to the storage space, and we both descended the staircase.

Having just arrived, I thought I might still be delirious from the jet lag and that I had mistakenly heard C2 call the box by a name.

C2 explained that I heard her correctly—in the box was the ashes of one of her longtime staff members, Justina.

Justina was a Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patient who needed a gallbladder operation to have gallstones removed, but the general hospital pushed back the operation date several times over several months.  The SLE compounded the symptoms from the gallstones, causing her to experience a great deal of pain.  At the beginning of January she went to the hospital for the last time.  She fell into a coma and passed away three days later on January 5, 2011 at age 49.

Justina

Justina

eH provided an encouraging atmosphere for Justina, who struggled from bipolar disorder and health complications from the SLE.  Over the years Justina’s fluctuating physical condition and mood swings made it difficult for her to find a steady job to support herself.  Although she had brothers and sisters, she lived alone and wanted to be independent and self-sufficient.  She was working a few days a week at the SLE office in KL as a cleaner, but wanted to further improve her quality of life and income.  She originally came to eH for computer training and ended up applying her newfound skills to a job in the eH office.  She helped record the eco-basket inventory, tag the baskets for sales, prepare the baskets for transport to the bazaars, sell the merchandise, and keep the office tidy.

A loyal employee, Justina commuted 2 hours to and from work.  If she needed to work at the office multiple days in a row, she would have dinner and sleep at C2’s house to reduce her commute time.  With the new office’s location in a house, Justina was enthusiastic about staying there and keeping everything in order.  Sadly, Justina never had the opportunity to enter the new eH headquarters.

When Justina died, her family members buried most of her ashes near her father’s grave.  C2 also requested some ashes to bring Justina to the eH house.  C2 also plans on helping Justina come closer to achieving some of her dreams; she always wanted to go on a cruise, meet the Queen of England, and meet President Obama.  While C2 might not be able to fulfill these wishes exactly, she hopes to spread some of Justina’s ashes here in Malaysia on a cruise boat, in the USA, and in London.

Justina Selling Baskets at a Fair

Justina Selling Baskets at a Fair

The eH staff became much more to Justina than colleagues; they were her family and she spent most of her time with them.  C2 recalled Justina’s appreciation for the opportunity to work with eH.  “She came to work with enthusiasm.  She completed her tasks with passion and pride.”  Lucy often worked in tandem with Justina to sell the eco-baskets at bazaars.  She remembered adjusting to Justina’s mood swings, but also fondly recounted her selling prowess and ability to market the baskets to new buyers.  Lucy became very close with Justina over the years at eH.   “She had a very good heart.  She was my best friend.”

While Justina wasn’t able to see the house before she passed away, she is there now.  C2 frequently reminds her staff members that Justina is eH’s guardian angel, watching over the staff members and protecting eH.

The Salaam Wanita eco-basket project provides employment for women whose circumstances and health problems restrict their options for work.  While eco-basket trainings and sales help women achieve economic independence, there are a number of challenges and considerations involved.  Below are three of these complex topics.

1. Encouraging women to participate in trainings – Many of the women eH assists are not used to receiving opportunities.  Extreme financial hardships, disabilities, chronic diseases, and a lack of education have shaped their limited outlook on their own potential.  Many have become accustom to begging or selling flowers outside of mosques and temples to make quick money to cover their expenses and provide for their families.

Learning a new skill like basket weaving may seem too daunting for women who are not used to trying new things and do not have experience in handicrafts.  It also involves risk—they must spend time being trained; must invest in the basic tools needed to make baskets, such as measuring tape, eco-friendly paint, natural glue, a hammer, and other materials; and be willing to collect discarded magazines.  The more time they spend practicing how to make baskets, the more they will perfect their skills and be able to make the more advanced styles and designs.  Again, this all requires time that could be used to make quick money.  eH must educate the women on the long-term benefits that learning a craft can have for their families and overall  confidence that earning quick cash cannot provide.

2.  Retaining Weavers - The first constraint is tied to retaining the weavers after training.  The women may make it through the training, but then fall back into activities that provide immediate financial gratification.  Urgent family circumstances and the needs of ill children increase the necessity of income.  eH has tried to provide money up-front for women under extenuating circumstances, but this is not a sustainable way to assist the women or run an organization.

The women are also under no obligation to stay with the Salaam Wanita eco-basket project after the training.   They may decide to start their own microenterprise selling the baskets and not contribute to the Salaam Wanita project.   While this could be perceived as a negative outcome, eH views this as a success.  In addition to practical skills, the training is meant increase the women’s self-confidence and assertiveness so they feel comfortable making their own decisions.   As a result, eH encourages the women to decide how they can best sustain themselves.

3. Unpredictability of Basket Sales – At the same time that eH encourages women to learn weaving skills, eH must also inform them that a certain number of basket sales is not guaranteed per month.  Months with holidays and more bazaars usually produce more sales.  The sales are also contingent upon the time and effort the eH staff spends marketing the baskets and finding sales opportunities, the availability of volunteers to staff the eco-basket booth at fairs, and international demand.

When orders come in, eH contacts the weavers who are able to make the requested models.  Those who respond first with their availability will be given the order.  The weavers receive half of the selling price upfront for the baskets.  The remainder of the sale goes to cover eH’s office rent, equipment costs, and eH staff salaries, leaving little, if any, profit.

Ideally, eH needs to secure partnerships with wholesale retailers in countries around the world so they do not need to spend time marketing to individual businesses and stores.  This would also produce a more reliable stream of orders and income for the weavers.  eH is taking steps towards this goal, but first they need to calculate the pricing for packing, shipping, and bulk orders to be sure they are charging the right price for the baskets to comfortably maintain the project.

Weaving for about a year now, Agila is one of the newest women to learn how to make basic baskets.   She was one of 13 women selected in April 2010 for basket-weaving training supported by a grant from the global financial company, UBS.  The grant covers 4 weeklong trainings over the course of a year and pays the women for the baskets they produce during that time.

As a low-income resident of the Rumah Panjang area on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Agila was one of the women referred for the training.  “Rumah Panjang” means “long house” and is a term for modest housing utilized by indigenous or nomadic people living mostly in jungle and rural areas.  Each long house development is different, but the government subsidizes these particular houses for people who are suffering from severe economic hardships.

Rumah Panjang or Long Houses

Rumah Panjang or Long Houses

Each unit within the long house complex has a single room that serves as both a living room and bedroom for its inhabitants, a kitchen, and a restroom.  Agila grew up in the house, which belongs to her parents and now houses 11 family members including her 5 siblings and their wives/husbands and children.  The government charges a nominal monthly fee to live in the long houses and the residents are responsible for paying their own electric and water bills.

Agila's niece and nephew

Agila's niece and nephew

Agila received an education until she was 15 years old.  Her favorite class was math and she dreamed of becoming a teacher.  As the eldest child in her family, she dropped out of school to help take care of her siblings.   She married in her early 20’s to a man she was dating for a number of years, but marital issues dissolved her union five years later.

5 years after the divorce, she awoke with a high fever and went to a public hospital for care.  She was released from the hospital with an inconclusive diagnosis and six years ago she lost feeling in both of her legs and one of her hands.  Nerve damage now prevents her from walking normally and standing up straight.  She can only walk with assistance or by holding onto stationary objects and furniture.   She tried physical therapy and acupuncture, but the treatments were too costly and required transport that she does not have.  Now she relies on natural supplements to improve her condition.  Since taking AyuVita pills, Agila feels that her strength has increased and she feels more mobile.   She spends the majority of her income on the pills, which cost RM400.00 (about $130 USD) per month.

Other than the low-cost housing, Agila does not receive any official support.  To sustain herself, she weaves baskets, prepares and sells a local dish called Nasi Lemak on the roadside, and creates strings of flowers for special occasions and places of worship.  Because the basket orders vary per month and Agila is still perfecting her weaving technique, she must work additional jobs to ensure earnings.  Her siblings do not have steady incomes and when they do it is put towards their own families’ needs.  Agila’s parents make money to cover the rent, bills, and food by working as gardeners and cleaners at a local golf course.

Agila and her sister making strings of flowers

Agila and her sister making strings of flowers

Flowers Agila collected

Flowers Agila collected

Even though Agila lacks full mobility in one of her hands, she is still able to make 13 different styles of baskets.  The improvement in her confidence and feeling of self-reliance encouraged her to develop other skills, like making the strings of flowers.  While her family members are unable to provide her with financial assistance, they help her gather magazines to make baskets and are supportive of her participation in the Salaam Wanita project.   Agila remains hopeful that one day she’ll be able to walk normally again and that her jobs will continue to sustain her.

Agila showing us one of her baskets

Agila showing us one of her baskets

Thank you, Agila, for welcoming us in your home and sharing your story.

The first Chinese New Year celebration I attended was the most untraditional but among the most memorable.  It was held at the chalet of a very generous Malay couple that C2 has known for quite some time.   From their youthful appearance and love of hip-hop dancing, aerial classes, and yoga, I am still amazed that they are in their early 70s.

Each week they host an open gathering for friends and guests to sing karaoke, play musical instruments, converse, and relax.   In honor of Chinese New Year, they extended a special invitation for guests to participate in a potluck dinner and meditation session.

To reach the festivities, attendees dodged wild jungle plants while climbing up a stone stairway chiseled into the mountainside.  At the top, everyone congregated in a wooden bungalow overlooking Kuala Lumpur.

A View of KL from the Jungle

A View of KL from the Jungle

The eclectic crowd of about 60 guests included energy healers, yogis, entrepreneurs, singers, and inventors.  While hailing from various disciplines, each appreciated the opportunity to celebrate the New Year by engaging in a spiritual healing meditation called agnihotra and dining together.

Agnihotra is not a Chinese New Year practice; it is an ancient Hindu meditation ritual that is believed to purify the atmosphere and heal the practitioner.  By lighting a fire with natural materials, it is believed that positive energy is transmitted into the atmosphere.  It then neutralizes and disinfects harmful pollutants improving the land for crops to grow.  In addition to its environmental benefits, agnihotra is said to reduce stress, improve health, and bring clarity to the practitioner.

Agnihotra must be conducted at sunrise and sunset, so preparations must be made before the sun goes down.  Groups of individuals sat cross-legged around pyramid shaped vessels and took out bags of dried cow dung.  In many cultures, cow dung has been used for centuries to cure ailments.  The cow is also considered a sacred animal for being a strong animal and providing milk to nourish the population.

The cow dung was placed on a coconut husk at the bottom of the copper container.  I knew the next step of this process was to light the cow dung on fire using ghee (butter).  Under different circumstances I would have gone running out of the room at the thought of being surrounded by 40 pots of burning cow dung.  However, with the knowledge that most of the room’s participants conducted agnihotra twice a day, I wanted to experience it for myself.

Lighting the Fire

Lighting the Fire

When all the materials were ready, a countdown to the sunset was held and at the precise moment the dung was set on fire.  Then the evening chant was performed and pinches of rice were added to the mixture as offerings.  The room lit up with orange and blue flames and became a calm sanctuary as each person focused on his/her thoughts.  An incense-like smell permeated the space and those around me meditated.  Even though I wasn’t successful at clearing my mind, I felt more at peace and hope that I will have another opportunity to practice agnihotra.

A glimpse into the agnihotra room

A glimpse into the agnihotra room

Feeling more tranquil, the group proceeded to dinner.  Gathering to eat with family and friends is central to celebrating the Chinese New Year.  However, this experience was different from the other dinners I attended later in the week because it was entirely vegetarian.  Attendees brought rice and vegetable dishes, fresh fruits and Malaysian desserts.  My favorite dessert was warm glutinous black rice with a swirl of coconut milk called Pulut Hitam.  It had just the right amount of sweetness and was a tasty end to the vegetarian feast.

Pulut Hitam..so delish, must learn how to make this!

Pulut Hitam..so delish, must learn how to make this!

While my first Chinese New Year dinner was far from traditional, it still captured the importance of sharing a feast with friends and family and practicing wellness for a fresh start to the New Year.

Chong Sheau Ching, known to friends as Ching Ching or C2, is the founder of eHomemakers (eH) and the Salaam Wanita eco-baskets project.  She completed a Master’s degree in international administration in Vermont and held an international career with the United Nations before returning home to raise her daughter in the 1990s.

Back in Malaysia, C2 became the primary caretaker for her parents and mentally challenged brother.  With these responsibilities and a newborn on the way, C2 needed to work from home.  She applied her love of writing and storytelling to a freelance career as a columnist with Malaysia’s leading English newspaper, The Star.  In her column, C2 ruminated on religion, family relationships, parenting, and other issues.

As a columnist for The Star, C2 balanced her family responsibilities while working from home and she believed other women could do it too.  However, one of the main deterrents was the widespread social stigma against women work from home and raise their children rather than having a more “prestigious” career in an office.

C2 wrote about her personal experiences being disparaged for this in “A Job Only Mothers Can Do.”   Mothers across Malaysia emailed C2 to share their own challenges and to seek advice on how to create more prospects for working from home.  The overwhelming response to the article motivated C2 to find a way to help other women improve their circumstances.

C2 hard at work in her home office

C2 hard at work in her home office

eHomemakers was born out of C2’s vision of using computer technology to empower homemakers to create their own online businesses and to connect with employers through the Internet.  The website is a portal of information to get users started working at home and able to create sustainable, profitable businesses.  The site also features discussion forums to exchange ideas on domestic issues and tips for single parents in areas such as childcare, law, nutrition, health, and financial planning.

Since eH was launched 13 years ago, it has registered over 16,000 users.  The site’s popularity is indication of its value for Malaysia’s citizens and the power of using ingenuity to prosper during difficult times.   Due to the persistence of people like C2, the perception of working from home continues to improve in Malaysia.  Check out eHomemaker’s site here.

eHomemakers empowers women who need to work from home to balance their familial responsibilities with employment.  One of eH’s primary missions is to train women who are homebound due to mental and physical disabilities and chronic diseases to support themselves.  In some cases, the women are staying home to take care of children and dependents that have disabilities.

A lack of finances and resources has deterred many of these women from getting an education or gaining computer skills.   As a result, they have never had the opportunity to work and have become accustom to rejection from employers, classmates, and family members.  These constraints have contributed to a lack of self-worth and struggles with depression.

Early in the process of creating eHomemakers, C2 realized that she would need other ways than computer technology to help underserved women help themselves.  C2 was looking for another skill that interested women could acquire from home when she met a woman who had developed a basic weaving process out of discarded magazines.  This was the answer C2 was looking for – an eco-friendly activity that women could do from home without purchasing materials!

Salaam Wanita Eco-Baskets

Salaam Wanita Eco-Baskets

In 2002, eH started providing basic eco-basket training sessions for low-income women in Ipoh and Klang Valley.  Since then, over 170 women have been trained and the weavers have developed more complex and intricate patterns that make the Salaam Wanita eco-baskets stand out from competitors.  (Salaam Wanita means “Recognizing Women.”) Their willingness to try something new, determination to conquer the frustrations involved with mastering the weaving process, and originality in creating new designs illustrates how successful each of these women can be when presented an opportunity.  Click here to view some brief videos explaining the eco-basket project and learn more about the weavers.

The eH staff members help market and sell the baskets at local bazaars, places of worship, schools, in stores, and online through the Justmarketing website.  In return, the weavers receive fair wages for their work and are able to improve their families’ quality of life.  While it isn’t easy to build partnerships to sell the baskets to international markets, I am working with the eH staff to bolster their outreach efforts.

In future posts, I’ll go more into depth on the challenges that eH, the weavers, and the eco-basket project face.  Thanks for reading.

On the eve of the main Thaipusam celebration, Ching Ching and I went to the river bend to watch the devotees prepare to walk barefoot up 272 stairs to the Subramaniar Swamy temple at the top of Batu Caves.  Participants cleansed themselves in the river and some had their heads shaved in tents as an emblem of humility.  Various temples set up stations with images of Hindu deities where offerings such as bananas, coconuts, and milk could be left and archana (prayers) could be conducted.

Offerings-note the Maria brand milk!

Offerings-note the Maria brand milk!

Many families hire drummers to play devotional music while they prepare and to accompany them on their journey to the temple.   The rhythm is intended to provide motivation to those carrying kavadis, or “burdens” that represent their reverence for Lord Murugan, up the stairs.  There are many different sizes and styles of kavadis, which may be adorned with peacock feathers, bells, flowers or images of other deities.  The act of carrying the kavadi takes extreme religious commitment and physical endurance.

A huge kavadi reaches its destination.

A huge kavadi reaches its destination.

For myself and other spectators, the most shocking part of the ceremony was the piercing.  The piercings symbolize self-sacrifice and the utmost devotion.  Also, Lord Murugan is praised for defeating several evil demons with a holy spear called a vel, which looks similar to the long metal lances that are used to puncture the cheeks, tongue, and forehead.  Those who desire to be pierced go into a deep trance-like state and do not even wince or bleed when pierced.  It is believed that their unity with Lord Murugan prevents them from feeling any pain.

Being pierced while in a trance.

Being pierced while in a trance.

I had never seen anyone in a trance before or even thought it was possible.  After seeing the transformation, I am a believer!

Similar acts of penance are performed when hooks holding flowers, fruit, or bells are inserted into the backs of devotees.  Again, they show no signs of discomfort.

Hooking fruit into a participant's back...no signs of pain!

Hooking fruit into a participant's back...no signs of pain!

While still in the trance, many of the pierced devotees danced in the middle of their drum circles.  Some of them had to be restrained by family members or with chains because they embodied Lord Murugan’s spirit and were acting like wild animals.  When the spirit was released, they achieved calmness.  I witnessed a fellow spectator go into a trance herself and start screaming and rolling on the ground because she had been inhabited by a spirit that was released by a devotee preparing to carry a kavadi.  I was told that she must have had a clear mind to be able to personify the spirit.  (Luckily, my mind was too overwhelmed to be hospitable to any spirits.)

A devotee wearing chains of restraint.

A devotee wearing chains of restraint.

Not all devotees choose to perform extreme acts of piercing or carrying a kavadi.  Many carried a small burden or symbol of devotion called a pal kodum, or a pot of milk, on top of their heads to the top of Batu Caves.

Women carrying pal kodum to the top of Batu Caves

Women carrying pal kodum to the top of Batu Caves

Once the devotees arrive at the Cave’s temple and perform their final prayers, their piercings and hooks are removed.  In addition to the temple, there was also a store where attendees could buy necklaces and religious items or purchase a photo of themselves to remember the occasion.

A number of commercial enterprises added a different dimension to the experience for visitors and participants.  Hundreds of thousands of attendees slowly pushed though rows of vendors selling food, sweets, cds, clothing, toys, and religious objects.  Temporary vegetarian restaurants were set-up to feed the hungry masses and families waited in line to ride the swings, roller coasters, and other amusement park attractions.  Religious prayers were recited over a loudspeaker system while jumbo screens allowed spectators to see individual devotees through the throngs of people.  So much to see and do at Thaipusam!

Climbing the stairs to reach the temple at the top

Climbing the stairs to reach the temple at the top

On my third evening in Malaysia, I experienced the marvels of Thaipusam.  I’ve created my first video post to transport you there, too.  Let me know what you think!