In the lead up to Thaipusam, a group of self-appointed moral police warned women attending the festivities to ensure they are dressed appropriately or risk being "spray-painted".

The group, whose warning went viral on Tamil-speaking and groups catering to ethnic Indian Malaysians on Facebook, said this included "fashion" saree blouses which are deemed too revealing for the Hindu festival.

Following a public outcry and police warnings, no such vigilante acts took place during the event on Thursday.

The warning nevertheless inspired artist Ruby Subramanian to paint women's bodies so they will look like Hindu goddesses.

But even Ruby's take on the situation received frowns from some who believe the fashion-inspired photo shoots of the painted women diluted the spiritual objective of Thaipusam.

Here, performing arts student Theyva Paalan speaks to Humans of Kuala Lumpur about how he melds the traditional aspects of his ethnic identity and other aspects of his unconventional persona:

"I'm studying Performing Arts in university.

I remember going to the washroom, a guy walks in and the first thing he did was stare and I could swear he whispered the word "freak".

I'm proud of my Indian heritage and besides that I always change my fashion sense.

I usually wear really tight pants, like no space for 'b**ls breathing'. But I also wear loose clothes, too.

I love piercings, and my ultimate goal was to pierce my nose (this way), it's really cool!

When I was young, my mom told my cousin why a lot of Indians have a lot of piercings... and apparently it's to tame one’s own soul.

It's like this Indian thing.

We believe that the more you pierce the more you clear your soul, and it's related to Thaipusam.

I’m very wild also so I need some taming. And I am proud that I am embracing my ‘macha-ness’!"

This story was first published on the HUMANS OF KUALA LUMPUR Facebook page. In this photography project, Mushamir Mustafa takes pictures of random Kuala Lumpur residents who share with him a little story from their lives. It features on Malaysiakini every weekend.

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