INTERACTIVE: Vows and wows during Thaipusam

After two years, devotees of Lord Muruga can carry a kavadi again at Hindu temples nationwide during Thaipusam. ART CHEN/The Star

THAIPUSAM returns this weekend with a big bang after two years of muted celebration due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some two million Hindu devotees and visitors are expected to throng Batu Caves in Selangor alone for the second largest Hindu festival in the country, while hundreds of thousands others are expected to flock to temples in Penang, Perak and several other states.

Thaipusam is said to be a holy day of prayers and penance. Dedicated to Lord Subramaniam, also known as Lord Murugan, a major South Indian Hindu god, this festival is a time for repentance for devotees, but the grand spectacle of the celebrations has also attracted millions of visitors, including international tourists.

Learn more about this colourful festival here: