KUALA LUMPUR – Batu Caves is abuzz with activity as tens of thousands of Hindu devotees and tourists have already flocked to the holy site four days ahead of the annual Thaipusam celebration.
During a visit by Scoop to the area, vendors and businesses were seen catering to a sea of customers, with the estimated number of visitors numbering in the thousands.
Parbathy Ramiah, who sells flower garlands, noted that the number of visitors this year has significantly surpassed last year’s turnout.
“This year, devotees are not only from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. There are also devotees from other parts of Malaysia, including Penang, Johor, and Terengganu. Additionally, tourists are drawn here to experience the Thaipusam celebration,” she told Scoop.
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated by the Tamil community. The festival commemorates Lord Murugan, the Hindu god of war and victory, also known as Kartikeya or Subramanya.
Thaipusam typically falls in the Tamil month of Thai, which is usually in January or February.
The main highlight of Thaipusam is the act of carrying “kavadi,” which is a form of penance or offering to Lord Murugan. Devotees who participate in the festival often undergo a period of fasting and purification before the main celebration.
During a press conference at Batu Caves on January 19 (Friday), Human Resources Minister Steven Sim estimated that the number of devotees and tourists for Thaipusam this year would be around one million people.
Parbathy, 55, who opens her shop daily at 4am, shared that people were lining up to enter the holy site as early as 3am.
As a business owner, she expressed gratitude for the one-week celebration, as it provided more business opportunities, enabling her to potentially earn RM20,000 for the month.
“I usually earn about RM15,000 during a regular month and RM18,000 during the Deepavali celebration,” she said.
Meanwhile, Yoges Hanes Raj, 32, acknowledged the large crowd and the necessity of keeping his products well-stocked.
Despite competition among businesses, he remained dedicated to meeting the demands of early visitors who came to pray and fulfil their wishes ahead of this year’s Thaipusam celebration on January 25.
A 21-year-old shopkeeper, who only wanted to be known as Anand, said that in anticipation of the massive crowd, they would have around 10 workers assisting at their two shops at the Batu Caves temple. The sweet shop, operating from 7am until midnight, serves approximately 500 customers daily, generating RM5,000 in profits each day.
Indonesian tourist Nike Ziswaningsih expressed her excitement about experiencing Malaysia during this festive season.
“This is a trip among friends, and we want to experience Batu Caves, Bukit Bintang, and Petronas Twin Tower,” she said.
“It’s really exciting to see people celebrating here. Next time, I would want to come here again with my family.” – January 21, 2024