Coconuts KL was there when an estimated million devotees converged on the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Batu Caves to celebrate the Hindu festival of Thaipusam. As the gargantuan statue of Lord Murugan looked on, we explored the surrounding area, rendered unrecognizable from its usually laid back state, and soaked in the joyous, chaotic humming of human activity dedicated to the worship of the divine. From kavadi bearers to priests to street hawkers to families to tourists, everyone at Batu Caves today was swept up into the cyclic, inching procession of human bodies up the 272 steps of the main temple, and back down to earth.
For those of you who couldn’t be there, we took these photos of one of Malaysia’s most monumental religious events.
For even more photos, check out the rest of our gallery below. Remember to click the Expand button on the top right to go full-screen.
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From all of us at Coconuts Media, Happy Thaipusam to all our Hindu friends and readers!
Photos by: This Is Kuala Lumpur.
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