KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — Major temples outside the Klang Valley are anticipating a larger turnout for Thaipusam celebrations that comes with a long stretch of holidays this year.
In Penang, the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Devastanam Temple, famously known as the Penang Hilltop Temple, is ready to welcome close to one million people for Thaipusam this year.
Temple chairman Naresh Kumar Letchmanan said this includes devotees from countries such as Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and India who will visit the temple to fulfill their religious vows.
"We are also expecting some 18,000 devotees to carry paal kudam (milk pots) and another 30,000 people to bring paal sembu (small milk pots).
"There will be around 800 to 900 kavadi bearers and some 8,000 devotees performing mudi kanikkai (offering of shaved hair) this year,” he told Malay Mail.
In Penang, the only state where a dual chariot procession takes place for Thaipusam, thousands of tourists also fly down to revel in the three-day long celebrations.
Naresh said both the silver chariot and the golden chariot will make their way today (January 24) to the Penang Hilltop Temple at the same time, about 1km apart.
Naresh expects around 20,000 coconut archanai (offerings) to be performed by devotees during the unified procession.
Along the road leading to the temple, some 160 thanneer panthals (rest areas) will be providing free refreshments for devotees.
Naresh said the Human Resources Ministry will also be setting up tents for people to rest, offer health screenings through the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and deploy volunteers to assist devotees on wheelchairs in fulfilling their vows.
"We request all devotees not to litter and to throw the trash at the designated dustbins. If everyone does their part, we can make Thaipusam 2024 the cleanest in history,” he said.
In Ipoh, the Kallumalai Arulmigu Subramaniyar Temple anticipates around 500,000 devotees to throng the temple since other smaller temples in Sitiawan and Sungai Siput that usually celebrate Thaipusam are currently under renovation.
Ipoh Hindu Devasthana Paripalana Sabah secretary VM Thiagarajan said only in Ipoh, the Thaipusam procession takes place with an over 100-year-old, well-preserved wooden chariot.
Another highlight in Ipoh, he said, were the LED-fitted kavadis, or famously called the ‘light kavadis’, which illuminate the streets on the Thaipusam night.
"This year, we will have around 28,000 paal kudam and some 500 kavadis.
"We have allowed devotees to offer paal kudam since January 14 to prevent overcrowding on Thaipusam day."
A special session was arranged for senior citizens and people with disabilities to offer their paal kudam from 3.30am to 5.30am and from 3.30pm to 5.30pm on January 23.
Thiagarajan encouraged devotees to wear face masks and said the temple will also set up Covid-19 testing booths for those who voluntarily want to get tested.
Down south in Johor Baru, the Sri Subramaniam Temple at Jalan Kolam Air is preparing to receive around 5,000 devotees, including 100 kavadi and 400 paal kudam bearers.
Interestingly, the temple provides kavadis and paal kudams for the devotees once they register with the temple management and make payments before Thaipusam.
Temple president S. Gunasegaran said the temple has maintained this tradition since it was first established in 1942 and later rebuilt in 1969.
"Another important ritual that we do is the thannir amirtha poojai - a special purification ritual for all the kavadi and paal kudam bearers - on Thaipusam eve.
"After the ritual, devotees partake in a rice-pounding ceremony to fry paniyaram (ball-shaped fried dumplings), which is then distributed to them as prasadam (blessed food),” he said.
Gunasegaran said senior citizens will be allowed to offer paal kudam at the temple, starting 5am on Thaipusam day, before the kavadi and paal kudam procession begins at 9am.
The celebration will conclude with a procession of Lord Murugan alongside his divine consorts, Valli and Deivanai, within the temple at night.
Thaipusam, dedicated to Lord Murugan, is celebrated on the first full moon in the Tamil month of Thai when the Pusam star reaches its highest point.
Hindus believe Goddess Parvati bestowed the vel (spear) to her son, Lord Murugan to defeat the evil demon Surapadman on this day.
According to Hindu legends, the tradition of bearing kavadi, which means "burden”, on Thaipusam started after the demon Idumban journeyed towards the south of India, carrying two hills on his shoulders for repentance.
