Thaipusam : Jadi Apa Niat Si Chairman Sebenarnya?

 Today is Thaipusam again. It is more festive nowadays especially for the young people.

Thaipusam has a long history, of celestial battles, good winning over evil and of perseverance, hope and patience : "to overcome obstacles they face, vanquish evil, to receive grace so that bad traits are destroyed"

So the motivation behind today's Thaipusam is quite serious. About vows and "resolutions" (if I may borrow such words). It is about upholding commitments and obligations. To overcome. 

Here is some news from Johore about Thaipusam : 

 

• Johor Sultan will attend Thaipusam at Sri Balasubramaniar temple in Skudai 
• His Majesty's first visit to the temple to witness Thaipusam this Sunday (Feb 5).
• first time in three years following Covid that Sultan will attend Thaipusam 
• last time His Majesty attended was 2019 at Arulmigu Thendayuthapani temple 
• Mentri Besar will be joining
• state religious affairs chairman said Muslims allowed to attend celebrations 
• but should not take part in their religious rituals.
• organisers of non-Muslim celebrations ensure sensitivity of Muslims respected 
• Muslims banned and prohibited from participating in non-Islamic celebration rituals
• Muslims allowed to fulfil invitations to non-Islamic celebration

 

My Comments :

Actually I really dont know much to say here. 

Should there be some expression of awe and "wow-factoring" that HRH the Sultan of Johore is honoring his Hindu subjects at one of their celebrations?  The Sultan may just as well choose to attend a wedding of say a Hindu friend. Or a birthday party. Or a Hindu funeral. And then what? Should it spark a string of fatwas and rulings? Really?

Here is a comment by a Manimaran (my friend Dr G Manimaran?) about this flutter plus a reply to Manimaran:

 

 

Using the same illogic do non-Muslims who come to Hari Raya open houses (for example) also take part in the religious aspect of Hari Raya? An important part of Hari Raya is attending the morning prayers at the mosque. Non-Muslims are not invited (and neither will they come) to the Hari Raya prayers. Mosques do not allow non-Muslims inside anyway. Still our non-Muslim friends do come for Hari Raya open houses as a sign of friendship towards their Muslim friends. 

Similarly Muslims will not be allowed to take part in Thaipusam rituals. The Hindus who take part in Thaipusam rituals (especially carrying the kavadi) must fast, must be vegetarian for some time, they have to pray, recite mantras etc. Muslims are not expected nor will they be invited to participate in these essential rituals of Thaipusam. 

But of course Muslims (and tourists as well) are welcome to show friendship and regard to their Hindu friends and neighbours. That is what HRH the Sultan of Johore is doing today at Thaipusam in Skudai.

So what is the purpose of the fatwa-ing and all the comments?  It seems to create unnecessary doubts and suspicions among the multi-racial people of Malaysia. 

Thaipusam has been celebrated in Malaysia for over 200 years. The Thaneer Malai Temple in Penang's Botanical Gardens (Waterfall Road) is more than 200 years old. The Thaipusam gathering there used to be the largest in Malaysia.

I dont think there is any record of any Muslim in Malaysia "converting" to Hinduism simply because he attended a Thaipusam gathering somewhere. During my school days in Penang my friends and I used to go to Waterfall Road (Botanical Gardens) to see the Thaipusam celebrations. The huge gathering of people (all kinds of people including thousands of tourists), the music, the sounds, the dancing, the colours and the entire cacophony was quite an experience. We did not have smartphones then so no one took any selfies.

You dont have to go if you dont want to. Who asked you to go? Just stay at home.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.