By P. Chandra Sagaran
As some 500,000 crowds converged to the S to Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Sungai Pari and Lord Subramaniar Kallumalai Temple in Gunung Cheroh to offer prayers and fulfill their vows on Thaipusam festival on Feb 1.
The crowd was much bigger compared to last year as it was a long weekend. Thaipusam has been declared a public holiday in Perak.
The highlight was that more than 500 devotees with skewers pierced their cheeks, tongue and skin carried the kavadis from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple to Gunung Cheroh.
Some 29,000 devotees carried the “paal kodum” milk pots and 3,100 shave their heads to pay their penance which is a profound act of devotion, humility and spiritual purification offering their hair to Lord Subramaniar.
The devotees offered the prayers at the historical Gunung Cheroh Temple which had been in existence for more than 100 years.
Among those present at the Gunung Cheroh Temple were State Human Resources, Health ,Indian Affairs and National Integration Committee Chairman Datuk A.Sivanesan, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister Department ( Law and Institutional Reforms) and Ipoh Barat MP M.Kulasegaran, Perak State Assembly Deputy Speaker Jenny Choy Tsi Jen, State Assemblywomen Bavani Veraiah (Malim Nawar) , Thulsi Thivani Manogaran (Buntong), Ipoh City Council Councillors Whip Wong Kar Keat, councillors and MIC Vice President and Perak MIC Chairman, party members and temple committee.
Sivanesan also presented a mock cheque of RM100,000 from the state government to the Lord Subramaniar Kallumalai Temple committee to cover Thaipusam expenses.
Several “thanner pantal” had been set up along the roads leading to the temples which offered free vegetarian food and drinks. Some stalls were selling religious items and other products.
Meanwhile Secretary of Ipoh Hindu Devasthana Paripalana Sabah which manages the two temples, V.M. Thiagarajan the committee would like to record their appreciation to the state government for the allocation.
As to keep the town clean, Ipoh City Council deployed some 450 staff divided into three shifts.
Twenty lorries, three motorcycles and one compactor were on the roads since Thursday and will operate until Tuesday.
The crowd were reminded over the PA system and notices were placed to ensure the public threw the rubbish and unwanted garbage into bins placed at strategic places.