Millions of devotees thronged Batu Caves in Malaysia for the Thaipusam festival, carrying kavadi, offering milk, and ascending the 272 steps in a display of devotion. The festival, marking Lord Murugan's victory over the demon Soorapadman, saw a diverse crowd from various races and nationalities united in celebrating this significant Hindu event.
A sea of saffron and yellow-clad devotees crowded the roads leading to and surrounding the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves , thronging the sacred grounds for Thaipusam . Devotees carrying intricately decorated kavadi, some reaching heights of up to 3 meters and adorned with peacock feathers, filled the paths to the temple as they ascended the 272 steps. Others carried paal kudam, offering milk as tributes.
The blaring tunes of the urumi melam, thavil, and pambai accompanied the devotees on their spiritual journey. Among those fulfilling their vows was Nethiyaa Rajendran, 35, who climbed the steps with her one-year-old daughter. “I made a vow to bring my daughter up to the temple once she was born. Today, I am blessed and thankful to fulfill this with my husband,” she said. Another devotee, identified only as Sritharan, 40, shared that he had been fulfilling his vows at the temple for the past 20 years. “It is an annual vow that began with my forefathers, my family, and now me,” said the civil servant, who arrived at the temple at 3 am. “We were stuck for about three hours at the halfway point of the staircase. Despite the challenges, I am thankful that everything went smoothly,” he added. “It’s to give thanks for the blessings I received last year and also gratitude for blessings to come,” the devotee, who has been participating since he was eight, said.Sankararaj Krish, who leads the Siva Saktivel musical troupe from Seremban, said they have been volunteering their services since Monday. Sarena Tan, 52, expressed a sense of togetherness and patriotism upon seeing so many people from various races at the festival. “Only in Malaysia can we see so many of our fellow Malaysians from other races openly attend and join cultural events,” she said. “My favorite part of the celebration was watching the kavadi bearers and other devotees climb the steps of the temple in devotion.” “I came here to see the diverse cultural practices Malaysia has to offer. It is amazing to see how the Asian population is able to preserve their culture, and it is a very beautiful sight,” said Nigerian Ike Owen. “It was very enjoyable. This is also my second time attending the festivities,” he added. Polish national Marcin Sierakowski and Spanish national Leather Pereda were also excited to experience the sights and sounds of Thaipusam. “The huge crowds made it challenging to ascend the staircase. We love how colorful and lively it is,” they said. According to Sri Maha Mariamman Temple trustee Datuk N. Sivakumar, Batu Caves received close to 1.8 million visitors between Feb 1 and noon yesterday. “This is 20% more than last year. We are doing our best to manage the crowds despite the large volume,” he said, adding that close to 3,000 volunteers were on duty during the celebration. Thaipusam is celebrated on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai, which corresponds with the Pusam star in the Tamil calendar. It commemorates Lord Murugan’s victory over the demon Soorapadman, whom he slew with the sacred vel (spear) given by his mother, Goddess Parvati, restoring balance and peace
Thaipusam Batu Caves Devotees Kavadi Milk Offering Lord Murugan Hindu Festival Malaysia
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