Doing good while fulfilling vows

Act of devotion: A believer pulling a chariot with hooks pierced on his back at the Batu Caves temple.

KUALA LUMPUR: This year’s Thaipusam was even more meaningful for female devotees who donated their hair.

Their locks would be turned into wigs for cancer patients, instead of being discarded, after their heads were shaved to fulfil vows.

Banumathy Palakrishnan, 39, said she was happy her hair would be used to help others.

“I went bald many times before during Thaipusam but this is the first time I’m donating my hair, ” said the mother from Port Klang.

“I made a vow to shave my head for my daughter and son to do well in their studies and I’m here today to fulfil it.

“I think it is good to be able to help while fulfilling my vow at the same time.’’

Good deed: Mahaletchumi handing over her locks to Premnath during the donation campaign at the temple.

Retiree Nageswary Kanagaratnam, 51, who shaved her head for the first time, was thrilled that her long locks would help cancer patients look and feel good.

“I have been keeping my long hair for 20 years.

“I made a vow to go bald for my son to have a child soon and it was granted last year, ” said the 51-year-old from Petaling Jaya.

“It is a blessing to be able to do two good things at once by going bald.’’

As for Customs screening officer Mahaletchumi Ramasamy, 37, from Johor Baru, she was more than happy to donate her hair for a good cause.“Why not? I wanted to do it after recovering from an ailment earlier.

“Doing good results in good karma and I’m all for it as long as it is within my means, ’’ she said.

The inaugural initiative was mooted by the Malaysian International Hair and Beauty Association (Mihba) as part of its community and social responsibility outreach initiatives.

Its president Premnath Genisan said the association, together with non-governmental organisation Locks of Hope, would send the hair to a lab in India to be made into wigs for cancers patients.

“Locks meant for donation have to be at least 15cm in length, ” he said.‘’Collection will go on throughout the three-day Thaipusam festival at the Batu Caves temples here as barbers are available round the clock until today evening.

“We call on more to come forward and support this initiative.’’

Premnath said he was happy that more are coming forward to donate their hair.

There are plans to make this a regular activity during Thaipusam, he said.

He added Mihba was thankful for the temple committee’s support.

Batu Caves Sri Mahamariamman Temple Devasthanam committee chairman Tan Sri R. Nadarajah said most of the crowd took advantage of the festival falling on a Saturday to visit the temple.

“The crowd is tremendous compared to last year. We estimate having about 1.6 million devotees and visitors during the three-day festival, ” he said. - Star