Chariot procession: Hindraf hits out at Pakatan
Athi VeeranganPublished: Jan 18, 2009 7:22 AM | Updated: Jan 18, 2009 8:52 AM
The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has chided the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government for meddling in Hindu religious affairs by attempting to re-map the chariot procession route historically organised by the Tamil Hindu Nagarathar 'Chettiar community during the Thaipusam festival.
The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has chided the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government for meddling in Hindu religious affairs by attempting to re-map the chariot procession route historically organised by the Tamil Hindu Nagarathar Chettiar community during the Thaipusam festival.
Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy slammed Pakatan Indian leaders in Penang for politicising Hindu affairs for self interest.
He also took them to task for exerting their political muscle to force the Chettiar community to change their traditional procession route, which had been practised since 1852.
Speaking from Delhi, he said the Pakatan government should respect and appreciate the Chettiar community's ernomous contribution to the Hindu tradition of Thaipusam chariot procession, considered to be the oldest religious procession in the country.
"Could any other community in Malaysia boast such a record of a over 150-year-old procession?
"We should be grateful to the Chettiar community for being able to organise and safeguard a great ancient Hindu tradition.
"Pakatan Indian leaders should stay away from meddling into it," he told Malaysiakini today.
He said Hindraf viewed the unwarranted encroachment by Pakatan state government via the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) into the Chettiar religious tradition as a violation of Hindu religious rights and freedom of worship enshrined under the Federal Constitution.
"The constitution is unambigous that the government can't meddle in the religious affairs of all communities, except that of Islam.
"The encroachment of Pakatan Indian leaders and PHEB commissioners into the Thaipusam affairs violates the constitutional rights of Hindus.
"They shoulld stop it," said Waythamoorthy via telephone, calling on the Penang Hindu community to support the Nagarathar Chettiars in the issue.
RM20 million in business turnover
The annual Thaipusam festival is a grand Hindu affair revered by devotees and tourists alike in a carnival-like atmosphere.
Some 800,000 people throng the Waterfall area to join the festival, estimated to generate about RM20 million in business turnover.
The festival has become a major tourist attraction in Penang.
Currently, police permit for the annual chariot procession is issued to the Chettiar community trust fund - the Registered Trustees Nattukottai Chettiar Temples Penang, a private organisation which kickstarted a wooden chariot procession in 1852 before upgrading it to a silver chariot in 1894.
In recent days, PHEB and its appointed agent, the Mariamman- Balathandayuthabani endowments management committee have demanded the chariot procession to make a reverse journey from Kovil Veedu in Lebuh Penang to the nearby Mariamman Kovil in Lebuh Queen to pay homage to Goddess Durgai Amman first before resuming its routine first-day journey.
Since the inception of the procession by the Chettiar community, the chariot parading the idol of Hindu god Lord Murugaperuman had stopped at the Mariamman Kovil only during its return journey from Waterfall to Kovil Veedu on the final and third day of the Taipusam celebrations.
Until now, on the first day of the festival, the chariot procession starts from Kovil Veedu and enters straight to the adjacent Lebuh Victoria on its way to the Nagarathar Nattukottai Chettiar's Thandayuthabani Kovil in Waterfall.
During last Friday's state consultative council meeting for Thaipusam festival 2009, the Chettiars and police were said to have been directed to change the route by the state authorities.
The Chettiars did not want to change the route due to logistic difficulties and overwhelming demand from the Hindu community to maintain the current route.
In the re-route path mapped out by the board, the chariot will not be able to pass through Lebuh Cina for there will be makeshift structures erected for the Chap Goh Meh celebrations the night before.
Chinese community would not be pleased
The venue is known as 'the Place of Harmony' due to the existence of many places of worship of major religions.
It is feared that the re-routing of the chariot procession would not please the Chinese community.
Moreover, the police had issued permits for the current route and how could the Chettiars follow the routes stipulated according to the whims and fancies of PHEB?
PHEB was formed during the British colonial era merely to be a government statutory board of trustees, entrusted to safeguard endowments, namely Hindu endowments, estimated to be worth RM100 million.
The governing statute - the Hindu Endowments Ordinance - is unambiguous that PHEB shall safeguard and manage only the endowments, which mean properties and money.
Hindu community leaders have always stressed that the board was neither an authority of the Hindu community or religion.
"PHEB should instead develop the endowments for Hindu benefits, not encroaching Hindu religious rights and interests.
"Let the Chettiars worry about the procession," stressed Waythamoorthy, a lawyer by training.
Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy slammed Pakatan Indian leaders in Penang for politicising Hindu affairs for self interest.
He also took them to task for exerting their political muscle to force the Chettiar community to change their traditional procession route, which had been practised since 1852.
Speaking from Delhi, he said the Pakatan government should respect and appreciate the Chettiar community's ernomous contribution to the Hindu tradition of Thaipusam chariot procession, considered to be the oldest religious procession in the country."Could any other community in Malaysia boast such a record of a over 150-year-old procession?
"We should be grateful to the Chettiar community for being able to organise and safeguard a great ancient Hindu tradition.
"Pakatan Indian leaders should stay away from meddling into it," he told Malaysiakini today.
He said Hindraf viewed the unwarranted encroachment by Pakatan state government via the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) into the Chettiar religious tradition as a violation of Hindu religious rights and freedom of worship enshrined under the Federal Constitution.
"The constitution is unambigous that the government can't meddle in the religious affairs of all communities, except that of Islam.
"The encroachment of Pakatan Indian leaders and PHEB commissioners into the Thaipusam affairs violates the constitutional rights of Hindus.
"They shoulld stop it," said Waythamoorthy via telephone, calling on the Penang Hindu community to support the Nagarathar Chettiars in the issue.
RM20 million in business turnover
The annual Thaipusam festival is a grand Hindu affair revered by devotees and tourists alike in a carnival-like atmosphere.
Some 800,000 people throng the Waterfall area to join the festival, estimated to generate about RM20 million in business turnover.
The festival has become a major tourist attraction in Penang.
Currently, police permit for the annual chariot procession is issued to the Chettiar community trust fund - the Registered Trustees Nattukottai Chettiar Temples Penang, a private organisation which kickstarted a wooden chariot procession in 1852 before upgrading it to a silver chariot in 1894.
In recent days, PHEB and its appointed agent, the Mariamman- Balathandayuthabani endowments management committee have demanded the chariot procession to make a reverse journey from Kovil Veedu in Lebuh Penang to the nearby Mariamman Kovil in Lebuh Queen to pay homage to Goddess Durgai Amman first before resuming its routine first-day journey.
Since the inception of the procession by the Chettiar community, the chariot parading the idol of Hindu god Lord Murugaperuman had stopped at the Mariamman Kovil only during its return journey from Waterfall to Kovil Veedu on the final and third day of the Taipusam celebrations.
Until now, on the first day of the festival, the chariot procession starts from Kovil Veedu and enters straight to the adjacent Lebuh Victoria on its way to the Nagarathar Nattukottai Chettiar's Thandayuthabani Kovil in Waterfall.
During last Friday's state consultative council meeting for Thaipusam festival 2009, the Chettiars and police were said to have been directed to change the route by the state authorities.
The Chettiars did not want to change the route due to logistic difficulties and overwhelming demand from the Hindu community to maintain the current route.
In the re-route path mapped out by the board, the chariot will not be able to pass through Lebuh Cina for there will be makeshift structures erected for the Chap Goh Meh celebrations the night before.
Chinese community would not be pleased
The venue is known as 'the Place of Harmony' due to the existence of many places of worship of major religions.
It is feared that the re-routing of the chariot procession would not please the Chinese community.
Moreover, the police had issued permits for the current route and how could the Chettiars follow the routes stipulated according to the whims and fancies of PHEB?
PHEB was formed during the British colonial era merely to be a government statutory board of trustees, entrusted to safeguard endowments, namely Hindu endowments, estimated to be worth RM100 million.
The governing statute - the Hindu Endowments Ordinance - is unambiguous that PHEB shall safeguard and manage only the endowments, which mean properties and money.
Hindu community leaders have always stressed that the board was neither an authority of the Hindu community or religion.
"PHEB should instead develop the endowments for Hindu benefits, not encroaching Hindu religious rights and interests.
"Let the Chettiars worry about the procession," stressed Waythamoorthy, a lawyer by training.
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