Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated every year around the end of January at full moon by thousands of devotees in a kaleidoscope of colour, noise, and religious fervour.

It took place at the Batu Caves about 12km out of Kuala Lumpur - I was going and really didn’t know what to expect.

We stepped from the air conditioned coach into another world presided over by the giant golden statue of Murugan illuminated by spotlights and a full moon.

As far as the eye could see there were throngs of people, women in brightly coloured saris jostled alongside men and children. Groups of people had set up picnics wherever they could find an open space.

Those making the pilgrimage to the temple at the top of the 272 steps were dressed in bright orange, the women in saris, the men in wraps or loose pants with bare chests. Still others had shaved their heads and anointed them with ochre. The majority carried urns of milk on their heads or shoulders but some had pierced their skin with hooks to pull structures called Kavadis. Still others had pierced their cheeks and tongues with skewers.

In preparation for piercing their bodies devotees had fasted for 40 days, abstained from sex and worked themselves into a higher spiritual state through prayer. Prior to piercing they were taken into a trance state by a guru.

We moved with the crowd towards the base of the steps, lining the route onlookers offered refreshment like water, although many of those making the pilgrimage had their own support system. Some of the kavadis carried were over a metre high and brightly coloured. Peacock feathers were a main feature in many, some of which included brightly painted portraits of deities.

A mini town of food and entertainment had been erected to feed participants and visitors alike. The stalls were packed with brightly coloured foods spicy and sweet, the spread simply amazing. I took the opportunity of sampling some and found them to be really good. There were also plenty of souvenirs, with gold the predominant colour.

Around the perimeter buses, taxis, cars and motorcycles constantly arrived adding to the throng.

Heritage Tours had brought three busloads filled with visitors. It was nice to know that we had a bus waiting for us, although the city transport system had put on extra buses and trains to cater for the thousands coming and going over the two day festival. Tour leader Angie Ng staggered the departure of the buses allowing time for those who had climbed the steps to the temple. One of our group, a Swiss man described the event as “the most colourful, noisy and “smellfull” festival he had ever been to.