Thaipusam 2024: Shear commitment

The Star

For the past 18 years, barber and grocery store owner Saravanan Ayasamy has embraced a sacred duty - shaving heads for Thaipusam at the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves.  Read more at http://tinyurl.com/5b6358at  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

00:00 Through the switch of razors, barbers play a vital role in shaping the spiritual transformations

00:09 that unfold during Taipusam.

00:13 44-year-old Saravanan Ayasamy has embraced this sacred duty for the past 18 years.

00:19 The father of three is among 51 stall operators providing head shaving services at the Sri

00:25 Subramanya Swami Temple in Batu Caves.

00:28 "I am the one who gives my ability.

00:31 How can I help the people of Kalkan India?

00:36 We open the shop at 4.30pm.

00:38 We close the shop when the temple is closed.

00:42 On weekdays, we open at 10pm.

00:44 On Taipusam, we open at 12pm.

00:49 We open 24 hours."

00:51 Saravanan estimated that he has shaved the heads of at least 8,000 devotees in the last

00:56 18 years.

00:57 He says it takes between 2 and 5 minutes per person, depending on the hair length.

01:02 "Shaving blades are only for one person.

01:06 We cannot use the same blades for other people.

01:10 If we use it for other people, it can cause diseases."

01:15 Since last Friday, Saravanan has shaved between 200 and 400 heads daily for a fee of RM20

01:21 each.

01:22 Often, he doesn't accept payment from the poor and people with disabilities as part

01:27 of his contribution to the community.

01:29 Similar to fellow devotees, the friendly man observes a 30-day vegetarian diet leading

01:34 up to the religious festival.

01:36 "I want to be a monk.

01:39 I will be a vegetarian for 30 days.

01:42 Because many people come to Kalkan India.

01:45 They want to do the worship here.

01:48 Some people do it for 30 days.

01:51 Some people do it for 2 weeks.

01:54 Some do it for 10 days.

01:56 I follow them."

01:59 His job is not without its challenges.

02:01 The sheer volume of people seeking his services during Taipusam presents logistical and physical

02:07 challenges.

02:08 "This place is crowded with thousands of people.

02:09 When we were moving in, they didn't think about coming in.

02:10 Sometimes we would have to take the kids and babies.

02:11 They didn't want to come in.

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