Sacrifice

The Thaipusam ceremony is celebrated by Hindus throughout the world, but particularly stong in SE Asia. Men are honored by their temples by being a participant. Their backs, mouths, noses are pierced - in this case with meat hooks - and generally the hooks are used to pull ceremonial items, in this case, it was going to be a large cart. Often, the men walk through fire beds of hot coals at the end of the processions.