Thaipusam fee irks temple devotees
Roshan JasonPublished: Jan 22, 2005 5:10 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Hindu devotees at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves will again be forced to pay a fee for performing their religious obligations come Jan 25 as the temple's administration refuses to budge from its stand.
Hindu devotees at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves will again be forced to pay a fee for performing their religious obligations come Jan 25 as the temple's administration refuses to budge from its stand.
For the past two Thaipusam celebrations, devotees who made their pilgrimage from the temple's branch in Kuala Lumpur's Jalan Bandar to the 114-year-old limestone cave temple in Batu Caves, had to pay RM10 to perform their religious rituals.
"Some devotees will normally leave the Jalan Bandar Mariamman temple before dawn and then make their 20-km walk to Batu Caves while carrying milk pots," said Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-youth chief S Manikavasagam when contacted today.
"On arrival there, at about noon, they will then have to pay the money in order to pour the milk over a large statue of a Hindu God."
He argued that since the milk and the pot containing it belonged to devotees and not obtained from the temple, there should not be a reason for the fees.
"The people bring these things on their own. Why the RM10? God didn't ask for it! We don't even know what has happened to the money collected for the past two years," said an irate Manikavasagam.
The politician and activist, who is a practicing Hindu, had two days ago sent a memorandum to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Radzi Sheikh raising his concerns with the temple authorities' alleged mismanagement of the funds collected.
In the memo, he suggested that the Paal Kudam (milk pot) bearers should not be charged for performing their act of worship while the Archanai (prayer offering) can be charged but not exceeding RM2 as materials, such as coconuts, is provided by the temple.
Police reports
Manikavasagam said he had lodged police reports against the temple's management over the past two years, including one yesterday's afternoon at the Dang Wangi police station.
"In 2003, a senior police officer guaranteed me, in a letter, that he would investigate the matter thoroughly and get back to me soon. I've not heard from him," he said.
An official report was lodge on Feb 11, 2003 on another problem which arose from the temple's move, which was what Manikavasagam claimed to be 'fraudulent tickets' being sold at the temple.
His colleague from PKR Youth and fellow Hindu devotee S Jayathas also told malaysiakini today that the Malaysian Hindu Sangam guidelines stipulated that no fees should be charged during such celebrations.
"It's unfair. A large proportion of Hindu devotees come from financially poor backgrounds. If a family of five performs the milk pouring ritual then RM50 is gone. That is a lot of money for some of them," he said.
Thaipusam is celebrated by some two million ethnic Malaysian Indians with hundreds of thousands flocking to this particular hilltop temple yearly.
Officials have been reported as saying that the temple's celebrations attracts over 1.5 million devotees and tourists particularly on that auspicious day.
The festival, made colorful by heavily decorated chariots as well as loud music and prayers, is held to celebrate the birthday of Lord Muruga, youngest son of Lord Shiva.
For the past two Thaipusam celebrations, devotees who made their pilgrimage from the temple's branch in Kuala Lumpur's Jalan Bandar to the 114-year-old limestone cave temple in Batu Caves, had to pay RM10 to perform their religious rituals.
"Some devotees will normally leave the Jalan Bandar Mariamman temple before dawn and then make their 20-km walk to Batu Caves while carrying milk pots," said Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-youth chief S Manikavasagam when contacted today. "On arrival there, at about noon, they will then have to pay the money in order to pour the milk over a large statue of a Hindu God."
He argued that since the milk and the pot containing it belonged to devotees and not obtained from the temple, there should not be a reason for the fees.
"The people bring these things on their own. Why the RM10? God didn't ask for it! We don't even know what has happened to the money collected for the past two years," said an irate Manikavasagam.
The politician and activist, who is a practicing Hindu, had two days ago sent a memorandum to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Radzi Sheikh raising his concerns with the temple authorities' alleged mismanagement of the funds collected.
In the memo, he suggested that the Paal Kudam (milk pot) bearers should not be charged for performing their act of worship while the Archanai (prayer offering) can be charged but not exceeding RM2 as materials, such as coconuts, is provided by the temple.
Police reports
Manikavasagam said he had lodged police reports against the temple's management over the past two years, including one yesterday's afternoon at the Dang Wangi police station.
"In 2003, a senior police officer guaranteed me, in a letter, that he would investigate the matter thoroughly and get back to me soon. I've not heard from him," he said.
An official report was lodge on Feb 11, 2003 on another problem which arose from the temple's move, which was what Manikavasagam claimed to be 'fraudulent tickets' being sold at the temple.
His colleague from PKR Youth and fellow Hindu devotee S Jayathas also told malaysiakini today that the Malaysian Hindu Sangam guidelines stipulated that no fees should be charged during such celebrations.
"It's unfair. A large proportion of Hindu devotees come from financially poor backgrounds. If a family of five performs the milk pouring ritual then RM50 is gone. That is a lot of money for some of them," he said.
Thaipusam is celebrated by some two million ethnic Malaysian Indians with hundreds of thousands flocking to this particular hilltop temple yearly.
Officials have been reported as saying that the temple's celebrations attracts over 1.5 million devotees and tourists particularly on that auspicious day.
The festival, made colorful by heavily decorated chariots as well as loud music and prayers, is held to celebrate the birthday of Lord Muruga, youngest son of Lord Shiva.
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