KUALA LUMPUR: The iconic Sri Subramaniar Temple Batu Caves which is now sporting a new, vibrant look, is expected to attract more than 1.6 million Hindu devotees and tourists in conjunction with the 233rd annual Thaipusam celebration tomorrow.
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Devasthanam Batu Caves temple trustee Datuk Dr A.T. Kumararajah said devotees and visitors would be greeted with bright rainbow colours that adorn the 272 steps leading to the limestone cave.
“When the painting of the staircases with various colours was completed on Aug 31, visitors to Batu Caves doubled. The upgrade turned out to be a right decision and received positive feedback from the public.
“In fact, the new face of Batu Caves has become a factor that draws many people who are excited to capture the unique scenery particularly during Thaipusam,” he said when he appeared as a guest on the Ruang Bicara programme recording on Bernama News Channel here.
Prior to this, he said, the staircases were painted in red and white.
Kumararajah said the temple management decided to repaint all the stairs using seven colours, namely red, green, blue, yellow, orange, white and indigo to cheer up the atmosphere.
Prior to this, he said, the staircases were painted in red and white.
Kumararajah said the temple management decided to repaint all the stairs using seven colours, namely red, green, blue, yellow, orange, white and indigo to cheer up the atmosphere.
“There was no specific planning or budget for the painting of the 272 steps. The management used the leftover paints from previous jobs to avoid wastage and the painting work was completed by volunteers within two days,” he added.
Kumararajah, who is also the safety and medical coordinator for the 2019 Thaipusam celebration, said Thaipusam in Malaysia is unique because the religious ceremony was celebrated on such a grand scale that it became one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions.
“Also, Batu Caves’ infrastructure cannot be found anywhere in the world. It’s a vast area of 14 acres (5.6ha) of land with four rows of colourful staircases leading to the cave temple and there is the 42.7m high golden Lord Murugan statue which is also the highest in the world,” he said.
On preparations to ensure that this year’s Thaipusam celebration is lively, peaceful and harmonious, Kumararajah said intensive planning, especially on safety aspects and logistics, had been done over the last three months.
As this year’s Thaipusam falls on a weekend with various ceremonies beginning on Friday up to tomorrow, more than 1,500 volunteers from 14 government agencies have been tasked with helping out, including providing medical and emergency assistance. — Bernama
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