Devotees celebrate Thaipusam in honor of Lord Murugan

Hindu devotees, their bodies pierced with lemon and paladai, or bowl with a spout mainly used to feed milk to infants, wait to participate in a procession to mark Shivratri, or the night of Shiva, in Chennai, India, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015. (Source: AP photo)

A Hindu devotee sits with his cheeks pierced with a metal rod as he participates in a religious procession during Thaipusam festival in Chennai. (Source: AP photo)

A Hindu devotee, his body pierced with metal rods, participates in a religious procession during Thaipusam festival in Chennai. (Source: AP photo)

A Hindu devotee, his body pierced with metal hooks, pulls a chariot carrying a deity of Hindu god Lord Murugan during a religious procession marking Thaipusam festival in Chennai. (Source: AP photo)

Hindu devotees, their cheeks pierced with metal rods, wait to participate in a religious procession during Thaipusam festival. (Source: AP photo)

A volunteer urges a Hindu woman devotee on as she walks on burning coal during a religious procession to mark Thaipusam festival, (Source: AP photo)