KUALA LUMPUR: A little crowded but manageable – that sums up the sentiments of the Tamil community who attended Chittirai Puttandu, the Tamil New Year celebration, at various Hindu temples in the city yesterday.

       Many devotees who thronged their neighbourhood temples were pleasantly surprised by the crowd.

       “I was apprehensive at first and was genuinely fearful that there might be too many people attending the festival, but it was well managed and orderly,” said realtor Shamini Mahalingam.

       Shamini, who attended prayers at the Sri Sakthi Vinayagar Temple in Brickfields, said people were respectful of one another and everyone was wearing masks and practising social distancing.

       “I felt blessed to be able to perform the prayers today and it was a fulfilling experience,” she added.

       Over at Sri Kandaswami Temple in Jalan Scott Brickfields, it was slightly crowded but people were also well-behaved.

       “Everyone was respectful of each other, no one was pushing against each other like in previous years,” said beauty salon owner Kasthoori Deva.

       The Kortumalai Pillayar Temple in Pudu was reported to have been the most crowded – however, the temple committee had come up with a system to ensure that there was no overcrowding.

       Joyous occasion: Devotees thronging Nattukotai Chettiar temple in Jalan Utama, Penang, in conjunction with the Tamil New Year celebration. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

       “There was a queue system in place, and people were allowed into the temple in batches, and each batch was given about 10 minutes to pray and move on,” said student Aarthi Gopal.

       “I was happy that I could conduct my prayers peacefully.”

       Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Datuk RS Mohan Shan attributed the well-behaved crowd to people being cautious after two years of observing a strict Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP).

       “For the morning prayers everything went smoothly and the crowd was manageable; all the temples reported a peaceful celebration,” he said.

       Sri Sakthi Vinayagar Temple president SKK Naidu said it helped that it was a working day.

       “We anticipate maybe a larger crowd in the evening, but we have everything under control,” he added.

       In GEORGE TOWN, 500 devotees attended prayers at the Nattukotai Chettiar Temple.

       Among them was S. Arumugam, 58, who said the prayers were a must-attend event every year for his family.

       “I wanted to keep the spirit of the cultural new year alive, and my family to feel invigorated amid the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

       “Every year, we will do our own prayers first in the morning at our house in Tanjung Tokong before coming to the temple,” he said.

       The 170-year-old temple’s managing secretary M. Ravi, 67, said the celebration was held with the SOP in mind.

       Deep devotion: Catholics offering prayers during Maundy Thursday mass at Church of The Holy Rosary in Kuala Lumpur. — SHAARI CHEMAT /The Star

       “The prayers started at 10.30am and a special procession was held within the temple.

       “Devotees were also served vegetarian food at the end of the event.

       “I hope that the easing of the SOP will mark a good beginning for everyone in the country,” he added.

       Meanwhile, Gurdwaras Council president Jagir Singh reported Vaisakhi celebrations had gone smoothly at all gurdwaras in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

       “It was quite smooth. People were mindful of social distancing and hygiene,” he said.

       “The crowd was a bit smaller compared to pre-pandemic days, but still a sizeable number turned out,” Jagir said.

       The Malayalee community is celebrating the Vishu festival today.

       Medical student Sumitha Nair said she was looking forward to spending quality time with her family.

       “We prefer to gather at my grandparents’ home and enjoy home cooked meals. After two years of lockdowns, I just feel lucky to be healthy and surrounded by loved ones,” she said.

       Meanwhile, Christians observed Maundy Thursday yesterday, which was the fifth day of the Holy Week. Maundy Thursday commemorates the Washing of the Feet and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.

       Churches will hold Good Friday mass today to mark the crucifixion of Jesus, with Easter to be observed on a grand scale on Sunday.