Thaipusam is around the corner. Millions of devotees are going to climb up 272 steps to fulfill their vows and prayers. It was impossible for disabled devotees to climb all the way up until an organisation decided to gather a group of volunteers to carry wheelchair-bound devotees to the temple.
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated grandly in Malaysia, especially in Batu Caves, a temple that is mainly dedicated to Lord Murugan. This festival happens around February, depending on the Hindu calendar. Batu Caves is known for having the tallest statue of Lord Murugan in the world standing at 140ft! The statue is coated with gold paint which needed more than 300 litres of paint.
During Thaipusam, the entire area will be filled with devotees. Hundreds of small business owners open up little shops around the area selling various things, from traditional Indian clothing, statues, snacks and even cookware. It’s the best time for those who love taking cultural photograph. Hundreds of people flock to fulfill their vows, mostly by shaving their head and bringing a pot filled with milk up to the temple.
Although millions of devotees climb up these stairs. Wheelchair-bound devotees never got the chance to see the temple in the caves. So an organisation called “Tamilan Uthavum Karangal” which translates as ‘Helping hands of the Tamil Community’ which was established by Dr A.Muraly along with a number of volunteers carried every wheelchair-bound devotees up the 272 steps to fulfill their prayers. This social work is done 2 to 3 weeks before Thaipusam to avoid the crowd.
This initiative is carried out since 1998 and more volunteers signed up along the years. I began my Local Guide journey to help out people identify if the place they are visiting is either wheelchair friendly or not. These volunteers helped those disabled devotees without expecting anything in return. This act of kindness surely means a lot to those who thought they wouldn’t get the chance to visit Batu Caves. Thank you for reading…
