Malaysia - Thaipusam at the Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur
- lorisolan
- Jan 31, 2018
- 4 min read
Thaipusam is a Hindu celebration dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Murugan (youngest son of Shiva and his wife Parvati). The festival which stretches over 3 days is all about faith, penance and endurance and is the biggest Hindu festival after Deepavali which is celebrated in November. Two of the largest temples to mark this festival on a grand scale are the Batu Caves just outside of Kuala Lumpur and the Waterfall Hill Temple in Penang.
Thaipusam is celebrated by the Tamil people of India on the full moon Tamil Thai period in January / February. The word Thaipusam is a combination of Thai being the name of the month and Pusam after a star whose highest point is reached during this festival.
Thaipusam is mainly celebrated in countries where there is a significant amount of Tamil people - India, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Mauritius. It is marked as a National Holiday in most.
We were lucky enough to be invited by our Indian friend Kalai to the Batu Caves for the Eve of Thaipusam. This 3 day festival sees more than 1.5 million visitors come from all over Malaysia and the world. It was a sight I will never forget. There were thousands and thousands of people all making their way towards the 42.7 metre high statue of Lord Murugan (the tallest one in the world) and then climb the 272 steps of the Batu Caves in the sweltering heat to pray at the Shrine to Lord Murugan. I have been to the Batu Caves a handful of times before however it was lovely to see it at night time and especially coupled with this remarkable event. It is hard to believe when you see this many people here that the Hindu community in Malaysia only makes up 9% of the population.
We were slowly shuffling along with the crowd towards the temple then decided to take a break to watch the never-ending procession pass us. There were people of all ages making their way past us, some were chanting Vel Vel Vetri Vel (a symbol of the spear that defeated evil), others playing the Indian drums. Yellow and orange were the most stand out colours worn by men, women and children representing the colours of Lord Murugan. Men and women were carrying pots of milk on their heads as an offering to Lord Murugan which they dispensed of at the Shrine at the top. The most noticeable and colourful part of the march were the Kavadis.
Kavadi Attam
Kavadi Attam is the ceremonial sacrifice and offering performed by devotees during the worship of Murugan. The Kavadi that each devotee carries symbolizes his/her burden like the two hills carried by Idumban. It is believed that the burden in the life of a devotee who carries Kavadi is lessened by Murugan. Taking Kavadi to Murugan temples during Thaipusam is considered extremely favourable.
The preparations for the devotee starts 48 days before the Thaipusam festival. The devotees to relieve all mental and physical impurities by carrying out some of the below practices:
Cleansing their body through fasting and abstinence
Refraining from smoking cigarettes, alcohol or any other intoxicants
Bathing in cold water
Men usually do not shave or cut their hair during this period
Sleeping on the floor
Morning and evening prayers and remembrance of Lord Murugan
After completing the 48 days vows, the devotees must completely fast for 24 hours before the Thaipusam. Some may also observe vow of silence. After a purifying bath they dress in appropriate clothing and will walk to the Murugan temple carrying their offerings. Many devotees will walk barefoot so it can be a slow process.
Those who carry a Kavadi or chariot will be accompanied by other devotees, playing the Indian drum and trumpets. Some of the Kavadis are so large and heavy that there are a number of family and friends available to assist in times of need, provide a barrier and show support with chants, music and dance.
You can also see many people with metal hooks and spikes pierced through their cheeks, tongue and back. This is another way of showing devotion to Murugan. Apparently the process is painless as they are in a trance. Many men will have their head shaved and I did see a woman or two have theirs done too. If you are not opposed to huge crowds, I would strongly suggest going along and witnessing this amazing religious ceremony.
Tips for a happy experience:
Try and go early in the day before the afternoon heat sets in. There will still be lots of atmosphere, just a more enjoyable, bearable experience
Night time is also recommended as it is much cooler and the lights of the temple and kavadis make it very beautiful
The crowds are quite overwhelming, try to avoid the congested areas as it can be quite claustrophobic. Stay off to the sides as much as possible
If you are going during the day, bring plenty of water. The heat and crowds will have you dehydrated in no time
Wear appropriate clothing. It is hard to put on the lairs in the heat however it is respectful to ensure shoulders and knees are covered. The more skin covered the better. Wear a light sarong around your shorts if you do not wish to wear jeans or trousers
Wear a hat and plenty of sunblock
If you are planning on walking the 272 steps, wear comfortable shoes. There will be thousands of others climbing too so make sure you are prepared for a slow forward motion
Carry small children. There can be a lot of forward pushing in the crowds and it is easy for a child to get lost or squashed
There are some further pointers on the Do's and Don'ts for this festival found in the below article by Rojak Daily.
How to get there:
Driving takes about 30 minutes from the city however once you get to within 1.5km of the Batu Caves, the traffic is completely jammed so you spend a lot of time crawling along looking for an appropriate parking spot. We saw lots of people get blocked by other drivers who had abandoned their car so it is advised not to drive.
The best option is to get the KTM komuter train from KL Sentral to Batu Caves. Trains go frequently and the trip take approx. 20 minutes. Tickets are just 2.60RM (less than $1)
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