FEATURE He spent RM18,000 of his savings, left his hectic job as chef at a five-star hotel in Singapore and travelled 400 kilometres to be here yesterday.

Yet Hindu devotee Saravanan Krishnan’s real journey to fall under the shadow of the giant Lord Murugan statue in Batu Caves on Thaipusam was more spiritual than physical.

“I came to make a wish and to purify my soul by carrying this 40 kilogramme kavadi.

“This year, I seek the well-being of my family, for abundance in sustenance and for God’s blessings,” said the 40-year-old who has been carrying the kavadi every Thaipusam since he was 12.

Saravanan was among 1.5 million devotees who visited the Sri Subramanivar Swamy temple to give thanks, fulfill a promise, make a wish or pay penance.

Thaipusam is celebrated by Hindus during the Tamil full moon called ‘Thai’ to commemorate the birth of Lord Murugan.

Met before the kavadi ritual kicked off, Saravanan heartily explained the process.

Devotees must fast for 28 days, he said, and prepare a kavadi using the feather of a peacock - the beautiful bird believed to be used by the Goddess Saraswati as her vehicle.

Dancing to the beat of the drum

Before the event, Saravanan purified himself by bathing, praying, meditating and chanting religious mantra.

Because he has done this for many years, Saravanan said he knew the feeling of the needle piercing his skin although he was only half aware.

“Lord Muniswara likes to dance and enjoy music like the beat of the drum, so when I fall into a trance, I too will start dancing.

“Lord Mariaman and Lord Munigam will then emerge. These deities will carry me in succession without me being aware of it,” the father of four said.

Saravanan, who was in Batu Caves with his family, chewed on bamboo leaves which he later spat out.

He then placed markers on the foreheads of his family members, which he said represent the deities who would enter his body. And then he passed out.

In less than two minutes, he woke up screaming before a blade was pierced into his tongue. A 40kg kavadi was then hoisted onto his shoulders.

Eight musicians moved forward, beating the drums while two dancers joined in - all hired by Saravanan in advance.

The devotee now appeared to be in the spiritual realm far away from those around him. The louder the beat of the drums the faster he danced and his character changed from one form to the other.

He danced while trekking the 500 metres from a nearby river to the first step of Batu Caves.

The distance was short, but it took Saravanan two hours due to the large crowd. Kavadi bearers were everywhere, the number uncountable.

The answer to his prayers

Saravanan’s wife Kavita Govindasamy stood alongside her husband. Every now and then, she stopped her sweetheart to dab ointment on his feet which were getting calloused and blistered.

The breaks were not long, and Saravanan continued his barefoot journey under the searing sun, walking on the scorching asphalt.

With the kavadi, Saravanan climbed the 272 steps to the Batu Caves temple to offer milk and pay alms.

“This kavadi is a sign of respect for our God for giving us a good life. If we seek for something better from God, we must also give something in return,” he said.

Has his wish been granted? Kavita hesitated.

“I am a Thalassemia patient and I believe that by giving alms and going through the rituals in Thaipusam, God will cure me and bless our family,” she said.

She suffers from Stage III Thalassemia.

The ritual ended and the Kuala Lumpur-born Saravanan made the 400km trip back to his daily life.

But distance is not a barrier. For Saravanan, the journey to Batu Caves every year is beyond the physical, but one for the soul.

Our lenses: Thaipusam in Malaysia