KUALA LUMPUR — For the first time in 120 years, a Hindu festival known to draw 1.5 million pilgrims and tourists every year will take place without worshippers. 

An estimated 1.9 million Hindus in Malaysia will celebrate Thaipusam at home on Jan. 28, with temple ceremonies broadcast live on social media. Since Jan. 13 and after a steep increase in COVID-19 infections, Malaysia has banned inter-district travel and all types of gatherings, including religious events.

What are Hindus celebrating on Thaipusam?

Tamil Hindu communities around the world (with origins in South India and Sri Lanka) observe Thaipusam each year during Thai, the fifth month in the Tamil calendar. The festival is dedicated to Murugan, the Hindu god of war and victory. 

According to Hindu mythology, Murugan saved humanity by defeating demon armies with a spear named Vel, a holy weapon that he received from his mother, the goddess Parvati. The Vel, which embodies spiritual knowledge and wisdom, is worshipped as a manifestation of Murugan. 

During Thaipusam, pilgrims go on journeys of penitence to temples of Murugan all around the world, bringing offerings, fulfilling vows and seeking blessings. The devotees carry a wide range of offerings, from bowls of milk (paal kudam), fruits and flowers to kavadi, handmade shrines of Murugan weighing up to 80 kilograms. Some pierce their skin or cheeks with spears or hooks and enter trances as they walk and dance in the rhythm of bhajan Tamil religious music. 

Thaipusam is celebrated not just in India and Sri Lanka, where Murugan is honored by millions of Tamil worshippers, but also in the Tamil Hindu diaspora—in Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji and other Hindu Tamil communities.

The Malaysian Thaipusam

The largest Thaipusam celebration in the world takes place in Malaysia’s Batu Caves temple, a majestic limestone cave on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. For the last 120 years, the worship of Murugan at Batu Caves grew exponentially from a humble altar when the first Thaipusam was held in 1892, to the impressive temple complex that exists today. The festival day each year has drawn more than a million visitors to the caves.

This year, for the first time in its history, the Malaysian Thaipusam will honor Murugan without pilgrimage journeys to Batu Caves.

The ceremonies are drastically toned down, with only a minimum number of priests participating, observing strict social distancing rules. The worshippers were advised to observe the celebration from the safety of their homes, and, in order to facilitate that, the temple rituals are broadcast online on social media.

The festival traditionally begins with a silver chariot carrying the shrine of Murugan, in a 9.4 miles procession from the Sri Maha Mariammam temple in central Kuala Lumpur to the Batu Caves temple marks the start of the festival. 

The procession is usually followed by priests and about 10,000 people, on a 16-hour journey. Moving along the streets of Kuala Lumpur accompanied by bhajan religious music, the silver chariot would stop at the major Hindu temples along the way, where rituals are performed. 

This year, the silver chariot procession quietly took place in the waking hours of Jan. 27, the eve of Thaipusam, in a silent procession along the empty streets of Kuala Lumpur. Happening under strict lockdown rules, the event allowed only 10 temple committee members to follow the chariot. The procession was closed for public attendance and was accompanied by “over 200 police personnel, on duty to safeguard the journey,” according to the temple secretary, C. Sethu Pathy. The sound of the bhajan music was replaced by the police sirens of the motorcade accompanying the chariot.

The Batu Caves temple will remain closed for the public on the day of the festival, with ceremonies officiated by a minimum number of priests broadcast live on social media. 

“During Thaipusam this year the temple will not be closed. It will be opened as usual and all rituals will go on as normal. Only the general public and devotees are not allowed. All prayers will go on as usual in all temples as per the agamas (religious norms),” said Pathy.

“During Thaipusam this year the temple will not be closed. It will be opened as usual and all rituals will go on as normal. Only the general public and devotees are not allowed. All prayers will go on as usual in all temples as per the agamas (religious norms),” said C. Sethu Pathy.

Celebrating at home

Daanish Jegatheswaran, 26, and his extended family have been attending Thaipusam for more than three generations.

“Now, my father has passed it on to me and this is my 11th Thaipusam that I am celebrating together with my family. We wouldn't miss it for the world because it's such an important celebration for us, a time to receive blessings from Lord Murugan,” said Jegatheswaran, who usually carries kavadi as an offering for Thaipusam.

This year, Daanish and his family, like the entire Hindu community in Malaysia, will observe Thaipusam from home.

“Since this year everyone should quarantine, we are performing the prayers and rituals that we learned from our ancestors at home. We perform simple prayers for the Lord and abhisheka, the sacred bath for Lord Murugan. In this ritual, we pour a sacred mixture containing milk, honey and ghee, over the Lord,” he said.

Alexandra Radu is a photojournalist based in Bucharest, Romania. She has been published in Al Jazeera, the New York Times, Religion News Service, Reuters and AP, and her images have won awards at the Religion News Association Awards for Religion Reporting Excellence in 2017, 2018 and 2019.