KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, January 23, 2008: Over a million Hindu devotees thronged temples across the country in celebrating Thaipusam today. In Kuala Lumpur, 500,000 devotees and tourists made a beeline to the Sri Mariaman temple in Batu Caves in celebrating the three-day festival, which began yesterday.
Up to noon, traffic heading towards Batu Caves was mostly at a crawl due to the huge turnout. The temple’s caretaker, Kubiran Subramaniam, 26, told Bernama that some 1.5 people turned up during last year’s festival. “We expect a repeat turnout (this year) as so far, almost 500,000 people have come. More will be coming in the evening and night and also tomorrow,” he said. In IPOH, over 20,000 devotees thronged the Arul Subramaniar temple in Gunung Cheroh since yesterday in conjunction with the festival.
State Unity and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Datuk G. Rajoo, who is also Perak MIC chief, and Datuk Tan Chin Men, the State Health, Environment and Human Resource Committee chairman, also participated in today’s celebrations.
The highlight as usual was the procession involving the silver chariot in the image of Lord Muruga from the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Sungai Pari to this temple. In Selangor, Thaipusam this time around was described as more meaningful following it being declared a public holiday in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. State Unity and Estate Workers Permanent Committee chairman Datuk Kamala Ganapathy said celebrations were more focused at Batu Caves.
Thaipusam falls on the full moon day when the Pusam star reigns. On this day, the alignment of the sun, the moon and the planets is said to be conducive to spiritual enlightenment. Devotees head to temples to pray for divine help and when their prayers are answered, they return on Thaipusam to fulfil their vows with penance and pay homage to Lord Muruga as thanksgiving.