Morning procession: Devotees offering their prayers to the Lord Murugan on the silver chariot after leaving the Kovil Veedu (Temple House) at Penang Street at 7.30am. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: The real-time app for tracking the movement of the golden and silver chariots is proving to be beneficial for devotees, helping them to steer clear of the congestion during the Thaipusam celebration.
The Chariot Tracker app for the silver chariot and the Pantau Location Tracker app for the golden chariot provide real-time updates on the exact location of the procession as they travel towards the Waterfall temple and vice versa.
Legal assistant J. Tharshini, 28, said the tracking apps helped her and her friends plan their journey and cut down on time wastage.
“It is easy to determine the chariot’s location, and this is very useful for all of us, as we don’t have to go out of the house too early. This is good for crowd control,” she said.
Tharshini said they have been following the golden chariot since 8am yesterday and are planning to go to the Arulmigu Sri Bala Thandayuthapani Waterfall Hilltop Temple on Jalan Kebun Bunga later in the evening.
“With the apps, my elders can rest for a while and just track the movement of the chariot on my smartphones,” she said, adding that she is praying for health and happiness for the whole family.
Her cousin, S. Seetha, 25, agreed that the apps were very helpful, especially when they know which congested road to avoid.
“Unlike the previous years, now we can detect the exact location of the chariots with the swipe of our phones,” said the factory technician.
Seetha, who lives in Butterworth, said with the apps, they also would not miss any key moments during the celebration.Another devotee, who wanted to be known only as KK Cheah, said he is using the apps to plan his outings, offer his prayers and break coconuts.
“I have been smashing coconuts to fulfil my vow to Lord Murugan for many years,” he said.
Both apps offer devotees the exact location of the chariots on an interactive map, helping them to plan their journey and prayers via live GPS tracking.
The apps also feature other important updates, such as where the chariot stops, special prayers, or road closures.
Devotees can find out how to use the apps at https://pantau.digitalpenang.my/map/thaipusam or visit www.chariottracker.com.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the three-day festival, devotees thronged the streets to offer prayers and witness the sacred procession.
The golden chariot left the temple at Queen Street at 6.20am for the Arulmigu Sri Bala Thandayuthapani Waterfall Hilltop Temple, while the silver chariot, carrying the statue of Lord Murugan, left the Kovil Veedu (Temple House) on Penang Street at about 7.30am.
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