OVER 1.5 MILLION VISITORS TO FLOCK TO BATU CAVES FOR THAIPUSAM

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- The Thaipusam festival will see over 1.5
million visitors, including foreign tourists, flocking to the Sri Subramaniyar
Swami Temple in Batu Caves near here next Saturday.

Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam Temple chairman Datuk R. Nadarajah attributed
the expected mammoth crowd to the festival falling on a weekend, followed by
Federal Territories Day on Monday.

"Thus, the celebration would be merrier with local and foreign tourists
visiting the temple," he told a press conference here today.

He said, over 10,000 Hindu devotees would throng the main streets in the
city, carrying kavadis, milk pots and breaking coconuts, as a form of penance
during the celebration.

The Lord Murugan's silver chariot procession was expected to begin from Sri
Maha Mariamman Temple at 12.30am and arrive at Batu Caves about 11am on
Saturday, added Nadarajah.

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (between
January and February) to commemorates the birthday of Lord Murugan, the youngest
son of God Shiva and his wife Parvati.
-- BERNAMA


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