Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves, Selangor and the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple on

Arulmigu Sree Balathandayuthapani Waterfall hilltop temple during the peak of the Thaipusam

GEORGE TOWN: There are more don'ts than dos for Thaipusam this year in Penang. There will not be kavadis, thaneer panthals( refreshment stalls), breaking of coconuts during chariot procession and shaving of heads during the festival on Jan 18. Announcing the festivities under the new norm, Penang Hindu Endowment Board( PHEB) committee chairman Dr P. Ramasamy said paal kudam( milk pot) carrying was allowed." We will only allow 1, 000 devotees who are registered to follow the golden chariot proces

KUALA LUMPUR: The Thaipusam celebration on Tuesday( Jan 18) at the Sri Subramaniar temple in Batu Caves, Malaysia will be a subdued affair for the second year in a row, instead of drawing in the thousands of devotees and tourists it used to. The only consolation is that the sight of' paal koodam' bearers in yellow carrying milk pots and the chariot procession, albeit in a limited scale, provides some indication of the celebration.No thanks to the continuing Covid-19 pandemic and the strict stand

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 li

PETALING JAYA: With standard operating procedure( SOP) in place, devotees once again thronged Batu Caves in a show of religious devotion despite a scaled-down Thaipusam celebration. Clad in saffron and yellow traditional outfits, devotees were seen carrying out their prayers while practising physical distancing and wearing face masks. Shouts of “ Vel vel vetri ”( victorious) were also heard from devotees carrying the paal kodam( milk pots) up the 272 colourful steps of the Sri Maha Mariamman Tem

BUTTERWORTH: With free ferry rides and shuttle bus services available during Thaipusam, many devotees are expected to use public transport to reduce traffic congestion. Factory technician R. Suresh, 41, said the 50-hour free ferry rides would benefit not only the locals but those from other states as well.“ It is a good move.... Besides encouraging the use of public transport, it can also reduce traffic congestion en route to the temples in Penang.“ After coming to Penang island via the ferry,