KUALA LUMPUR: For many parents, Thaipusam is not only a time to fulfil personal vows but also an opportunity to introduce their young children to faith, culture and sacrifice.
Teacher Thanaletchume Kitnamorti, 46, said this year marked the first time her five-year-old son carried a paal kudam up the steps of Batu Caves.
“I want my son to learn that our faith and rituals are important. They should learn this while they are young. I hope he will continue the practice as he grows older,” she said.
The climb, she said, was challenging due to the heat and cramped conditions, but constant encouragement helped her son complete the journey.
Office clerk A. Sathiswaren, 31, and his wife arrived at 3am with their five-month-old daughter to fulfil their vows.
“I carried the paal kudam while my wife carried our girl. The climb up the stairs was physically demanding for us as the baby got restless in the heat,” he said.
Despite the challenges, the Sathiswaren family managed to complete their prayers and offerings to Lord Muruga.
For Lenon Francis, 36, and Kalapana Vijayan, 31, they wanted to show their one-and-a-half-year-old daughter all the rites linked to the faith.
In another act of devotion, lorry driver Maniarasan T. Baramasivam, 32, shaved his head along with his two-year-old daughter as part of a vow made for her well-being.
“My daughter has an illness. She cannot speak or call out to me. All I want is to hear her voice,” he said.
Disability and pain did not stand in the way of faith, as several devotees pushed past physical limitations to fulfil their vows.
For masseuse Selva Ganapathy, 39, devotion has long been guided by memory rather than sight.
He lost his vision at the age of 14 due to retinal detachment, but that has never stopped him from answering the annual call of Thaipusam.
Selva said his prayers were for the well-being of his family and the success of his massage business.
