Malaysia
Thaipusam Celebrants With Pierced Skin
Two dancers pause to dance during the annual Thaipusam celebration in Georgetown, Penang Island, Malaysia. Thaipusam is celebrated by many ethnic Indian Hindus and according to Wikipedia it is "A festival celebrated by the Tamil and Malayali communities on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February), usually coinciding with Pushya star, known as Poosam in Tamil and Pooyam in Malayalam. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel "spear" so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman." A variety of body piercings are common to show devotion to the god Murugan.
Malaysian Farther and Son in Smokey Air
Muhammad Khalid and his son Muhammad Syafiq wear breathing masks because of the smoke from Indonesian logging fires. Miri, Sarawak State, Malaysia.