More than one million devotees converged Saturday on the Batu Caves temple on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur as part of the three-day celebration of the Hindu festival of Thaipusam.

The festival began with some 20,000 devotees fulfiling vows by carrying heavy structures called kavadis as they walked barefoot up 272 steps to the Batu Caves temple located in a limestone cavern.

Their tongues, cheeks, chests and backs were also pierced with hooks and skewers, the official Bernama news agency reported.

This year, a 42.7 metre-tall gold coloured statue of Lord Muruga was positioned at the entrance of the temple as an added attraction.

Thaipusam commemorates the day when Goddess Pavarthi gave her son Lord Muruga an invincible lance with which he destroyed evil demons.

The colourful Thaipusam festival also drew many tourists.