Panguni Uthiram and Kavadi

I saw a procession outside welingkars today, it was a tamil festival called panguni uthiram. It just stunned the people passing by due to the pearcing done by them on their body.
They were going to walk right upto antop hill. People who have kept a vow keep on joining the procession, they have some puja at shivaji park and later move towards antop hill.
The pearcing done is called kavadi.
The healing from pearcing takes 2-3 days. The mark remains on the face and body. Ther is some white powder put on the place where pearcing is done which comforts them.
Story behind kavadi it is there in the below link.
It is celebrated in many countries around the world.

http://www.sttemple.com/STT/english/thaipusam.asp

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