Praying and serving God is always a humbling experience. Everyone who believes in God and religion knows they are servants in the world. We live to do good deeds, spread positivity and help others who are in need. Every religion is beautiful in its own way, especially in Malaysia, where we are rich in culture and race. We should always be respectful of other people because all religions don’t condone negativity.
Thaipusam is coming this 5 February. Many Hindus are excited to celebrate this important festival. Excitingly, more than 1.6 million people are expected to visit the famous Batu Caves during this celebration!
Although the festivity is this Sunday, some people have already paid their respect at the shrine.
Therefore, SSKsport (@ssksport) shared a video that was so humbling.
In the video, a man was crawling and kneeling on the stairs of Batu Caves. The glorious shrine has 272 steps. Imagine how dedicated the man was to climbing these stairs. He was willing to crawl and kneel all the way up…
Why did the man not walk normally?
According to some responses, it’s believed that man promised something to God. For Muslims, it’s similar to Nazar (solemn promise).
For example, you wished for a job in a company. Therefore, you said, “If I got this job, I would treat my parents at a luxurious restaurant.”
When your prayers are answered, you have to make true to the promise. Maybe the man was doing that.
Not only that, but the woman beside him was carrying a container full of milk. It’s an offering to Lord Murugan called kavadi.
Moreover, according to some users, Hindus will go barefooted when entering the shrine. It’s a sign of respect for God and the holy place.
The story behind Thaipusam, a humbling celebration
Thaipusam is an important festival celebrated by the Hindus from southern India. It’s usually during the Tamil month of Thai, which is between January and February.
It’s dedicated to the Hindu god, Murugan. Murugan is the son of Shiva and Parvati.
Thaipusam is a symbol of victory of good over evil. On this day, Goddes Parvati presented a lance to Lord Murugan. He had to get rid of Tarakasura, the demon army. Murugan also had to beat their evil deeds.
Did you know? When their prayers are fulfilled, they have to pierce parts of the body (tongue, for example) before they take the kavadi to the top of the temple.
Additionally, cloth and peacock feathers are decorations for the kavadi.
How to celebrate it?
Most people offer Lord Murugan yellow or orange fruits or flowers. These are his favourite colours. Hindus also have to wear attires of these colours.
Devotees will bring milk, water, fruits and floral garments in pails hanging from a yoke. They will carry them on their shoulders to various Murugan temples.
It’s a humbling experience to see such devotees respecting and carrying out their duty on an auspicious day.
We hope the celebration goes smoothly for all Hindus in Malaysia and everyone worldwide.
Sources: TikTok SSKsport, Murugan.org