Two S’pore friends of different faiths, one Thaipusam walk of devotion

Following the advice of one of his temple followers, Mr Lim visited a Hindu temple in Yishun.

Mr Kumar’s uncle, who runs the place, suggested that Mr Lim participate in Thaipusam as a kavadi bearer and introduced his nephew to help him.

In Hindu tradition, devotees who carry the kavadi during Thaipusam – a thanksgiving festival – see it as a form of spiritual purification. By enduring pain, they believe they are cleansing their karma and asking for divine assistance.

That was Mr Lim’s first experience of being part of the Hindu festival. He has long recovered from his illness, but continues participating regularly at Thaipusam every year.

Mr Lim’s sons Eugene, 25, and Shane, 24, have been taking part in the festival with their father since 2010 and 2017 respectively.

They initially carried milk pots, but Eugene later took up the kavadi in 2016, and Shane followed in his brother’s footsteps in 2023.

Milk pots, also known as paalkudam, are carried by worshippers at Thaipusam as a form of offering.

Other types of offerings include the large and ornate chariot, or ratham, a portable altar pulled by devotees.

Over the last two decades, Mr Michael Lim has formed an enduring bond with Mr Kumar and his extended family.

Every year, Mr Kumar and his extended family help Mr Lim, Eugene, an interior designer, and Shane, a warehouse assistant, assemble their kavadis and prepare for the body piercings.

Recalling the Lims’ early Thaipusam years, Mr Kumar said with a chuckle: “Michael was nervous about the piercings in his first year, but he gradually got used to it.”

With the festival set for Feb 11 in 2025, the Lim family began preparing for it a week in advance.

It was a community effort, with both Taoist devotees from Mr Lim’s temple and Mr Kumar’s friends and family coming together to help.

They meticulously washed, decorated and assembled the two 2m-tall kavadis – along with a chariot, which consists of a Chinese sedan chair bearing the statues of Hindu deity Ganesha and other Taoist deities – that Mr Lim and his sons use for the procession.

In the wee hours of Feb 11, the Lims joined the other barefoot devotees and began their journey from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Tank Road.

Mrs Lim, 51, was also part of the procession, leading the way for her husband and sons with a plate of vibuthi – sacred ash – and a small flame that signified “illuminating the path”.

The youngest of the couple’s three children, Singapore Armed Forces regular Mario Lim, 22, was on hand to help his family during the walk.

“It’s been an incredible 20 years,” Mrs Lim said. “I am really proud of my sons, and how much they have grown.”

For Mr Lim, carrying the kavadi is more than just a ritual – he said it “clears the mindset” and helps him focus on life’s priorities.

“Life has its ups and downs, and this helps me learn to manage them,” he added.

Since 2010, Mr Lim has also been participating in the Theemithi festival, a Hindu fire-walking event where devotees walk across a pit of charcoal and fire to seek the blessings of goddess Sri Drowpathai Amman. In 2025, the Theemithi will be held on Oct 12.

Mr Lim also maintains a Hindu altar in his temple, which he set up in 2005. The altar houses a statue of Ganesha, given to him by Mr Kumar’s late father, along with statues of other Hindu deities that were given to him by followers of his temple over the years.

Mr Kumar and his extended family visit Mr Lim’s Taoist temple regularly to tend to the Hindu altar, and they often attend the Taoist celebrations there.

Mr Kumar said: “While we guide Michael and his family through the Thaipusam rituals, we also learn from them when it comes to Taoist practices.”

“Faith isn’t about race, it’s about devotion,” he said. “Everyone is welcome to join the festival and prayers. We live in a multiracial society after all.”