Thaipusam: 1.6 million Hindu devotees, visitors expected at Batu Caves

Batu Caves Sri Subramaniar Swamy Devasthanam Temple is expected to receive about 1.6 million Hindu devotees and visitors including foreign tourists during Thaipusam on Jan 24.

The celebration into its 165th year would start from Jan 22, according to temple committee chairman Tan Sri R. Nadarajah.

He said certain facilities for the prayer ceremony at the riverside near the temple had been upgraded with assistance from the Selangor Department of Irrigation and Drainage.

The upgrading works costing RM3 million had been approved by then MIC president Datuk Seri G.Palanivel while he was the Natural Resources and Environment minister, he told Bernama.

He said the number of volunteers at the temple would also be increased.

"We have also replaced all the wires to ensure sufficient electricity supply and avoid a repeat of the power disruption last year.

"I can guarantee 101 per cent that such incident will not happen this year," he assured.

Nadarajah said the silver chariot carrying 'Lord Murugan and his two consorts Valli and Theivanai' would start its journey from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S Lee to Batu Caves on Jan 22 at 10 pm.

The chariot is expected to arrive at Batu Caves on Jan 23 at 2.30 pm and the procession will head back to Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Jan 25 at midnight.

Meanwhile, the temple committee would not compromise with devotees who flout the rules while fulfilling their vows by carrying a 'kavadi' which it does not approve of.

"Our volunteers will restrain them at the temple entrance if their kavadi is decorated with items that shouldn't be there or if they carry weapons such as a machete or are smoking a cigar," he said.

He said 2,000 police personnel would be based at Batu caves throughout the celebration which would be graced as in past years by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

In Malaysia, Thaipusam is similarly celebrated grandly at Sri Arulmigu Balathandayuthabani Temple in Penang and Arul Subramaniar Temple at Gunung Cheruh, Perak.