As the crowd grows bigger every year (and not to mention the negative elements which tend to create chaos and anger among devotees), Thaipusam at Batu Caves sees devotees fulfilling their vows as early as a week before. With the coming Thaipusam falling on a weekend and part of a 3 days holiday in the Federal Territory, one can expect more tourists, and curious onlookers in addition to more crowd from outstation.

Thaipusam may be a week away but there are already devotees making their way up the 272 steps in Batu Caves here to pray and give thanks to Lord Muruga to avoid the crowd on the day of the festival.

Businessman K. Karthigan said his wife and him shaved their heads to give thanks to Lord Muruga for blessing them with a baby boy.

“My wife and I had been trying for a son but my wife had some gynaecological problems.

“However, after praying, her condition got better and was able to bear our son, who is now four months old,” said the 35-year-old when met at the Sri Subramaniam Swamy Temple in Batu Caves on Saturday.

“We came to perform our prayers earlier so that my wife and son would not have to join the Thaipusam crowd,” he added. Karthigan lives in Seremban.

Retiree R. Pathmavathi, 71, who was carrying a pal kodam (milk pot kavadi), said her family and her decided to come early to the temple because she had a difficult experience previously on Thaipusam Day.

“I could not even go beyond the foot of the Batu Caves steps. There were so many people. As we get older, we want to avoid such crowds,” said the grandmother of two.

Indian tourist K. Shrawan, 50, said the majestic Lord Muruga statue at the foot of the caves reminded him of the 17m-tall Sravana Belgola statue at a Jain temple in his country.

“I find Batu Caves very nice and peaceful. We don’t normally see limestone caves back in India,” said the banker, adding that in India Thaipusam was also celebrated on a grand scale.

Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam chairman Datuk R. Nadarajah said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein would attend this year’s celebration on Jan 30.

“We are expecting about 1.5 million people. During the PM’s visit, we will urge him to make Thaipusam a national holiday.

“Then, all Malaysians can participate,” he told reporters yesterday.

The Thaipusam celebrations will kick off with the Holy Silver Chariot procession that leaves the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S. Lee early in the night of Jan 29.

It is expected to reach the Batu Caves temple at 11am, followed by a flag-raising ceremony at 4pm to mark the official commencement of the festival.

KTM commuter train service will be available at the Batu Caves station on Thaipusam Day.

Yeah, there are calls every year to make more states declare Thaipusam as a public holiday. I especially wonder what is happening in Kedah. Its the second year running under the PAS government and the promise of public holiday is for Thaipusam still remain unfulfilled. I hope the makkal there will start to pressure their state representatives.