PETALING JAYA: The size of the crowd thronging the Batu Caves temple ahead of Thaipusam is unexpected, says its committee chairman.
Tan Sri R. Nadarajah said this after a video depicting packed groups of devotees carrying paal kudam (milk offerings) while waiting in line at the temple yesterday went viral.
“Normally on the weekend before any Thaipusam day, devotees would have started (prayers at Batu Caves), but this year it was a very big crowd. We never expected this,” he added.
This year Thaipusam falls on Jan 25.
Nadarajah estimated around 30,000 devotees showed up at the temple yesterday.
Devotees coming to the temple to fulfil their prayers this weekend may be trying to avoid the large crowd at Batu Caves every Thaipusam, he said.
Nadarajah said it is also the month of Thai in the Tamil calendar, which lasts from mid-January to mid-February.
