KUALA LUMPUR: The Thaipusam celebration at the Sri Subramaniar temple in Batu Caves, which used to draw hundreds of thousands of devotees along with tourists, will once again be a subdued affair due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

       The colourful and vibrant celebration has been scaled down, for the second consecutive year, much to the disappointment of many.

       The only consolation will be the sight of “paal koodam” bearers in yellow, carrying milk pots, along with the chariot procession, albeit at a limited scale.

       The National Security Council has imposed strict standard operating procedure (SOP) to contain the pandemic, especially with the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron variant.

       No kavadis are allowed by the temple management, and the number of devotees entering the temple ground is capped at 9,000.

       Today, 18 prayer sessions will be allowed, with each session accommodating 500 people.

       Though Thaipusam is also celebrated in south India, Mauritius, South Africa, Singapore and Sri Lanka, the celebrations at Batu Caves and the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil in George Town, Penang, are the grandest of all and is widely followed by the south Indian diaspora.

       A check by Bernama found that the management of the Batu Caves temple had also imposed stringent SOP. Only several stalls selling flowers for prayers and food stalls can be seen open.

       The situation is similar at other temples, including the Sri Subramaniar Temple at Gunung Cheroh, in Ipoh, Perak.

       Thaipusam will be celebrated by Hindus around the world today in the month of “Thai”, which is the 10th month in the Tamil calendar, to commemorate the event where Lord Murugan received the sacred spear from his mother Goddess Parvati, to eliminate the evil demon Soorapadman, and restore prosperity and human well-being.