Hundreds of thousands of worshippers converged on Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves to mark Thaipusam, a major Hindu festival celebrating the goddess Parvathi's gift of a lance to Lord Murugan. Devotees climbed 272 colourful steps, many barefoot, offering milk and performing acts of penance while some underwent body piercings and carried heavy kavadis. The site, dominated by a 43-metre statue of Murugan, is expected to attract roughly 2.5 million visitors over the festivities. Music, drums and chants accompanied the vibrant procession.
Vibrant Thaipusam Procession Paints Batu Caves as Devotees Climb, Pray and Pierce in Pilgrimage
Thaipusam commemorates the day, according to Hindu mythology, when the goddess Parvathi gave her son Lord Murugan a powerful lance to fight evil demons (Mohd Rasfan)(Mohd Rasfan/AFP/AFP)
A vivid sea of colour filled Malaysia's iconic Batu Caves on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of Hindu devotees gathered to observe Thaipusam, one of the religion's most revered festivals.
A Centuries-Old Pilgrimage at Batu Caves
The annual festival is observed with particular fervour in multicultural Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation where ethnic Indians account for roughly 7% of the country's 34 million people. For more than a century the main public celebrations have centred on the Batu Caves complex on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, dominated by a towering 43-metre (141-foot) statue of Lord Murugan.
Rituals, Offerings And Acts Of Devotion
Devotees climbed the temple's 272 brightly coloured steps — many barefoot — carrying offerings such as pots of milk and bearing elaborate metal frames known as kavadis. Some kavadis can weigh as much as 100 kilograms (220 pounds) and are traditionally affixed to the body with sharp metal spikes that pierce the flesh. Participants often move rhythmically to the beat of percussionists amid religious chants and devotional songs.
According to Hindu mythology, Thaipusam commemorates the day the goddess Parvathi gave her son, Lord Murugan, a powerful lance to vanquish evil. Pilgrims perform vows, penances and acts of thanksgiving as part of the observance.
'Today I came at 3:00 am to the temple. I have been coming for Thaipusam for the past 30 years,' said S. Jeyasangar, 39, from Klang, Selangor. 'Thaipusam is important to me because I have gone through so much, and I'm successful today because of Lord Muruga,' added Shema Nanthini, 26, from Petaling Jaya.
Regional Observance And Attendance
Thaipusam is also observed in India, Singapore and other regions with large Tamil Hindu communities. Local reports say the Batu Caves site can draw around 2.5 million visitors over the course of the festivities, as worshippers and tourists converge on the shrine to witness the colourful rituals.
Note: The festival combines intense personal devotion with a public procession of music, dance and ritual practices that draw both believers and curious visitors.
Help us improve.
