Foot procession, kavadis returning to Thaipusam after two years
Come Feb 5, the sound of music will fill the 3.2 km stretch between Serangoon Road and Tank Road as Hindu devotees walk from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in this year’s Thaipusam foot procession.
The annual Hindu religious festival had a reduced number of participants taking part in more muted celebrations in the last two years, while the authorities took steps to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infections. The customary foot procession was scrapped, and the use of kavadis – wooden or metal structures carrying milk offerings – and ceremonial piercings was disallowed.
About 30,000 people are expected to be part of this year’s procession, with a third carrying milk pot offerings called paal kudam. Meanwhile, some 200 devotees will be carrying kavadis.
At a press conference on Friday, Mr T Raja Segar from the Hindu Endowments Board said the lifting of restrictions on Thaipusam was a welcome move, citing how devotees had been waiting to celebrate the festival as they had always done.
“You can say that we’re starting with a big bang after Covid-19, and that’s great,” he said, noting, however, that the festival organisers had also drawn lessons from the pandemic in planning for this year.
He cited the offering of paal kudam, which devotees can now choose to prepare themselves or else pick up from the Tank Road temple, instead of being required to use those prepared by the temple.
Mr Raja said that during the pandemic, the festival centred around Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, with devotees needing to book slots for the time they could enter the temple, thus preventing overcrowding.
“Looking at the benefits of the system, we are continuing with it. Whatever we learn from this year, we will then make use of it to make next year’s Thaipusam even better.”
Besides the number of devotees at the temple being regulated during the past two years, the Covid-19 pandemic also curtailed other Thaipusam practice.
Aside from the foot procession from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to Tank Road being scrapped, groups carrying musical instruments or any form of amplification device were not allowed to enter the temple.
The elderly, the young and those who were physically challenged were also encouraged to pray at home and join the live stream of the Thaipusam prayer session.
The live stream will continue this year, but centred around key moments, said Mr Ramasamy Meiyappan, the deputy president of Sri Thendayuthapani Temple.
Mr Edwin Tong, who is Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, will be joining in the festivities on Feb 5. The foot procession will set off the night before, at 11:30pm.
To book slots for paal kudam offerings, devotees can visit www.thaipusam.sg. The sale of tickets for Thaipusam-related activities will close on Feb 3 at 8:30pm.
Meanwhile, those planning to carry the kavadi will have to purchase tickets at either Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple or Sri Thedayuthapani Temple.
Tickets for the chariot and spike kavadis, however, will only be sold at the Serangoon Road temple.
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