Kuala Lumpur – Thousands of onlookers gathered along the streets of Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday for the Malaysia’s 166th Annual Thaipusam festival, local media reported.
Malaysians have gathered to watch the procession of a silver chariot carrying the Hindu idol of Lord Muruga.
The 7.3-metre chariot will make its way to the famous Batu Caves temple over the course of several hours, expected to reach the site at 2:30 pm Thursday (0630 GMT), according to report.
An estimated 1.6 million Hindu devotees and tourists are expected to attend the celebration on Thursday.
The enthusiastic crowd was giddy with anticipation as the procession, accompanied by the sounds of beating drums and chantings, stopped at several points along the way for devotees to pray.
Some devotees fast for weeks and make vows on Thaipusam day by piercing different parts of their body with skewer-like metal implements. Some attendees pierce their backs with more than 100 skewer hooks to fulfil their religious obligations.
Devotees trek for around 7 kilometers, often in a trance-like state, carrying a metal cage-like object, referred to as “kavadi,’’ embellished with flowers, milk pots, peacock feathers and colourful lights.
Located on a well-known limestone hill in Malaysia, Batu Caves is dedicated to Lord Muruga.
Its concrete-and-steel Muruga statue is the tallest in the world at 140 feet and has a brilliant gold-paint finish.
Thaipusam falls in the Hindu month of Thai and is also a public holiday in Malaysia to commemorate devotees’ part taking the rituals.
The act of devotion during the Thaipusam festivity is believed to cleanse one’s soul and prosper good luck.