VEL Muruga, Vel Muruga, Vel Muruga, Vel! Amidst songs of worship, ringing bells and religious chants, hundreds of kavadi bearers, milk pot carriers and heavily pierced devotees made their annual Thaipu-sam pilgrimage up the Arulmigu Balathanda-yuthapani Hilltop Temple at Waterfall Road in Penang yesterday.

Together with a surging crowd of almost 700,000 from the northern region and other countries like Indonesia, South Africa and Bri-tain, they were en route to fulfil their vows to Lord Muruga.

The devotees, some dancing while in deep trance, made their way through the crowd up the 279 steps to the temple.

At the foothill of the temple, crowds of young visitors, families and tourists were seen feeding the five elephants specially brought in from Thailand for the annual ce-lebration.

Jasmin Zuviyah Noor Azyze said she brought along her daughter Juninta and niece Melissa because they had never seen how Thaipusam is celebrated here.

“My daughter studies in Ipoh and Melissa is in Kota Kinabalu. I wanted them to witness this colourful event for themselves.

“For us Muslims, we fast to cleanse our-selves spiritually. It is good to see the rituals the Hindus practise to achieve the same goal,” she said.

More than 100 thaneer panthal (refreshment stalls) lined the route to the temple, offering popular sweet treats like the carrot halwa and milk mysore pak.

Thaipusam is celebrated annually on the first day of the Pusam natchithiram (star) in the Thai month of the Hindu calendar and is held in honour of Lord Muruga.

The vel features predominantly in kavadis, decorations and piercing paraphernalia be-cause it was the weapon given to Lord Muruga by his mother, the Goddess Parvathi, to des-troy the evil demon Asura.

V. Mani, 43, said his wife had her head shaved bald in the hopes that her mother would be cured of an ailment.

“My wife, sister-in-law, brother-in-law and mother-in-law were all carr-ying milk pots as an offering to Lord Muruga,” he said.

Briton Carol Wordsworth, 63, said she arrived in Penang the day before and was glad to have chanced upon the festival.

“I came her for a holiday with my husband and two friends. We heard about Thaipusam but didn’t really know much about it. We wanted to catch the silver chariot procession the day before but unfortunately, we missed it.

“It is great to see people from all walks of life and races cele- brating together. Back in England where I live, we don't really have a mixed community. This festival is so colourful and interesting,” she said.

State executive councillor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan who went for a walkabout around the Gottlieb Road, Brown Road and Jalan Utama areas in the morning, said he was pleased that volunteers and municipal coun-cil (MPPP) workers were on hand to clear rubbish.

“It is cleaner than previous years. This is important, especially this be-ing Visit Malaysia Year,” he said.

“Most of the 180 volunteers were Chinese which is good because it reflects our muhibbah spirit. I hope volunteers of various races will also be involved during other festivals like the coming Chinese New Year Street Party in Armenian Street.”

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who visited the Hilltop Temple and Nattukotai Chettiar Temple at Waterfall Road later in the evening, was garlanded by an elephant.

The silver chariot bearing Lord Muruga will make its return journey at 6.30pm today from the Nattukotai Chettiar Temple to Kovil Veedu in Penang Street.