Golden chariot joins Thaipusam procession for first time
The annual Thaipusam procession from Kuala Lumpur to Batu Caves saw a golden chariot – made for last year’s Vinayagar Chathurthi festival – joining the traditional silver chariot for the first time. In Penang, this year’s celebration appeared to be a more
GEORGE TOWN: This year’s Thaipusam celebration was a subdued affair with a smaller crowd coming out to greet the two chariots.
The three-day celebration began with the golden chariot departing from the Arulmigu Sree Maha Mariamman Temple in Queen Street at 5.05am to the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Hilltop Temple, also known as the Waterfall Hilltop Temple.
It was followed by the silver chariot from the “Kovil Veedu” in Penang Street at 7.20am yesterday.
The number of coconuts broken this year along Victoria Street, Magazine Road and Datuk Keramat Road dropped drastically compared to the previous years.
“It is a subdued celebration this year, as many people are cutting down on their expenditures.
“Devotees who were breaking 200 or 300 coconuts last time were only breaking 50 to 100 this time around,” said Waterfall Hilltop Temple committee chairman Datuk R. Subramaniam.
Vivian Goh, who owns an apparel shop along Magazine Road, said her three neighbours who offered up coconuts every year did not do so this year.
“Their shops are open as usual but the coconuts in front of the shops are missing,” said Goh, who has also been breaking coconuts for the silver chariot over the last five years.
Nattukotai Chettiar Temple trustee Dr A. Narayanan admitted that the festive mood this year was missing.
“We could usually feel the festive spirit in the air during the chariot procession, but it’s very subdued this year.”
The Penang Island City Council workers managed to clear the smashed coconuts at Times Square in Datuk Keramat Road by 1.30pm yesterday as there was a low turnout of devotees. Last year, they completed the task by 3.30pm.
Many devotees had carried paal kudams (milk pots) and paal kavadis (mini kavadis) to the temples at Waterfall Road.
However, the bulk of kavadi bear- ers would only be seen today.
The main altars at the top of both the Waterfall Hilltop Temple and the Nattukotai Chettiar Temple will be closed by 6.30pm today due to the “blood moon” lunar eclipse and will only reopen tomorrow at 6am.