Thaipusam 2011

                                          THAIPUSAM IN PENANG 2011

Thaipusam for the year 2011 fell on a Thursday 6th day of Thai Masam.Once again our journey to Penang to the Waterfall Murugan Temple (Thaneermalai Murugan Kovil) was on our cards. Preparation for the journey was waited excitedly by all...

Penang Thaneer Malai Murugan Temple Entrance - Normal Day.

Thaipusam in Penang, has always been close to my heart as ever since i was small i always went to this temple and although i have been to Batu Caves few times during Thaipusam..but somehow i don't get the right vibration as when i am in Penang..In Batu Caves my personal opinion is that..there is not much devotion there as compared to Penang..here people behave in proper manner...you can see how they carry their kavadi's, paal kudom's / chembu's (milk pots) etc which such devotion. In Batu Caves it is more of a festival mood..with just large crowd..pushing you for no particular reason...it is way too commercial for my taste..

Penang Thaneer Malai Murugan Temple - Normal Day.

Not forgetting that i took Kavadi for seven years in a row in Penang. From year 1999 till 2005. Only for person's whom have had experience carrying Kavadi would know that this task is no walk in the park. First one has to fast properly and correctly..once malai is put around your neck..you now become a different person..you have to humble your self..getting rid of one's ego,anger,vain,hunger and other external needs is the law of fasting..mastering this law takes devotion,sacrifices and wanting to do it and wanting to achieve your goal of divinity is the order of the day.

Carrying Kavadi from Lorong Kulit - 2003

Kavadi for the Year 2004.

This year just like previous year, we will be staying at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel situated in Gurney Drive. Although there is a nearer hotel to the temple which is Berjaya Hotel, i fancy this hotel more due to the fact that it is not packed with screaming and noisy guest's like in Berjaya Hotel. Here i am pre-checked in which means as soon as i arrive at the hotel, i just collect the keys and go up to my room unlike at Berjaya, you have queue for like 30 minutes just get to the reception counter and wait another 10 odd minutes while they check you in and then you would have wait for another 10 or so minutes for the lift..so it takes approximately an hour for the checking in process..and yes off course i will be paying more for staying in Evergreen which is about RM 20.00 more..per room. Its most definitely worth for my family and me.

Leaving Kuala Lumpur at about 11.15 am after my wife arrived home from work..we were supposed to have a 3 car convoy but my guest Mr.CP Nadaraja took another route to the north south highway. However we did make arrangements to stop at the Sungai Perak Rest Area for lunch. We arrived at the rest stop area at about 1.45 PM and had our lunch. At about 2.30 PM we left the rest area and headed straight to Penang.

We arrived at the hotel approximately at 3.45 PM and as usual we had the reserve car park slot at the entrance of the hotel. Our bags were picked up by the bell boy and i went to reception to collect my room keys which were ready for me. I signed the forms and off we went to our rooms - which coincidentally were the same rooms as last year.

All checked in to their respective rooms and as my room and children's room were connecting rooms, wife helped my kids to unpack their bags as well..all settled in about 4.30 PM so told them to come down to lobby at around 5.30 PM to head to the Thaneer Panthal (Water Drinking Stall) where Kavita is giving Anna Dhanam (Food Arms). All of us were ready downstairs at sharp 5.30 PM and we were off the the parking area beside Berjaya hotel. This year though there was a slight traffic jam at the gurney drive road and thus we arrived at the parking area at about 6.15 PM.

After parking our car, we walked for about 25 Minutes to the panthal area..but our first stop was off course at the Waterfall Muniswaran Ayya Temple. After praying then we continued to walk to the panthal, it was in front of the the Everyday Milk Thaneer Panthal. They served very good "mooru" drink. Arriving at the panthal i saw Kavita and her parents still sorting out the serving area and i also saw that a pot of gravy still cooking on the stove. Apparently the cook had delayed the cooking and thus why the gravy is still cooking.

Women Folks all ready for the Night.

After about 15 odd minutes, the gravy was ready and so we carried the pot and arranged it at the area where will be serving the food in rows before it will be distributed to everyone there...it was about 8.00 PM when i saw the gold chariot of Lord Murugan from our panthal. I estimated that it would take about 30 minutes before it reaches to our panthal. So everyone was doing the final preparation, Kavitapanthal was smashed as the small trucks were there to remove the smashed up coconuts. However to our horror we found that the coconuts were not removed but were pushed to the area where we have tied ropes so people could queue..as we found out this as the chariot was nearing our panthal..

Lord Murugan Gold Chariot Arrives 

Without panicking, we sorted out another way to re tie the clothes and the ropes. Did it in 10 minutes and i send off the women folks to the chariot with their offering trays to get the blessings. The Chariot has stopped just 2 panthals away from our panthal.

Thaneer Malai Murugan Gold Chariot.

To see the chariot glittering and shinning and seeing Lord Murugan is truly an indescribably feeling one would have..body would shiver with devotion and heart would melt in devotion and to some..eyes would be teary for no particular reason but for the mere joy of seeing the Lord standing majestically on his gold chariot.

Behold the Lord Murugan.

Standing in the crowd while you are offering your most humble prayers to him, hundreds and thousands of other people there too would be voicing out or mumbling their prayers, requests , pain and suffering that they want to be eased from..each person has their own way of requesting but only one form of offering is truly accepted..fasting and doing penance with full devotion gets the Lord utmost attention..

As our women returned from getting the blessing, now our part of doing whats vowed would be underway..as we await the chariot to move on..our team of woman..now would be flexing their muscles to do what has been planned for the year...serving food..and giving food to everyone and anyone without prejudice and preferences...

Everything now is being put in its proper places...and thus our night activity shall begin in a short while..

Look Who is all ready and Set?? Yeap Master Keshava! Now from This Look would anyone not agree that he is up to some mischievous thing :) Hahahaha

Yeap the most biggest and heaviest task for the night was given to my son...his job was to take care of Master Keshava. Should say that he almost 90% manage to control Master Keshava if not for a few loud screams from him and some antics of rolling on the ground...other than that he was under control..one should say..

The Eco Friendly Boxes To Pack The Food.

Pots Were All Ready and People Are Briefed Of The Duties.

We started to give out food at exactly 8.55 PM and we did our bid until the rice and vegetables were all finished. We did have about a quarter pot of gravy left. We have served about 2,200 people in the time span of 2 hours odd. At the end, everyone was tired but satisfied of what was achieved. Everyone played their roles given to them to the best of their abilities possible. It was a successful night indeed.

Calling it a night, my group made our way back where our car is parked and headed to the hotel. On the way we did stop by at the stall and i had a bowl of noodles and others had drinks. Arriving at hotel all exhausted, we retired for the night with some activities planned for the next day.

After having a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel, my family and i headed to the hotel swimming pool.Children had fun swimming for about an hour and at about noon we headed back to the room to change and go to have lunch. Raja and his wife joined us as we headed to the Khaleel Nasi Kandar restaurant at gurney drive. Walk was for about 5 minutes and we had nice lunch and i decided that we would leave to the temple to go the hilltop temple at about 4.30 PM.

All of us met at the hotel lobby at about 5.00 PM due to some wardrobe malfunctions. As soon as all were ready, we went to as usual to park our cars near the hotel berjaya but we did not get the parking we had yesterday so i made some detour and found parking spot in front of the hotel.

We walked and headed to the hilltop temple first, placing our sandals and shoes at the special storing place for a small fee, we walked towards the temple after purchasing the archanai coupons at the entrance. First thing that caught my eyes was the Vinayagar Temple. It was closed for renovations..was sad not being able to go in and pray but then continued walking towards the Eduman Temple. Saw the dismantled kavadi's lying by the side of the temple. After praying, we walked up the stairs of the Thaneer Malai Murugan Temple.

As we started walking up the stairs, there we people (volunteers) carrying the old people who cant walk. This service must have incorporated this year. This is a very good move and idea indeed. There are many old people who cant walk who misses the audience of the Lord Murugan in his Aandi Form being pour milk all over him. The walk up took all of us about 15 minutes odd.

We had a nice darshan as usual.Crowd was good and behaved very well as Penang crowd is most famous for anyway..and then all of us made our way down the hill. Collecting our sandals and slippers..we made our way to the Nattukotai Chettiair Murugan Temple.We had a wonderful darshan of Lord Murugan here and then we made our way to the Sundareswarer Meenachi Temple.

After praying, we made our way to a panthal to just watch some kavadi's as we usually do. For some reason, we actually made our way to the same panthal we had waited the previous year. The old man there at the temple reminded my wife that he remembers us from last year.

After spending time about an hour odd, we made our way to the stalls to have dinner first before heading back to the hotel.We had a nice dinner and then we headed back to the parking area and drove our cars back to the hotel for the night.

Next day morning, again after a nice buffet breakfast we proceeded with our plan to visit the famous Amman temple in Penang. This temple has been said that even the tsunami did not touch it due to its powerfulness. The famous temple is called "Sri Singhamugam Veerakali Amman" Temple.This temple is in Batu Feringhi and is beside the old Penang Mutiara Hotel. I would say this temple is very dear and sentimental to me as here is where my Kundalini was opened. It was on the day of Masi Magam festival.

Sri Singamugha Veerakali Amman

Sri Singamugha Veerakali Amman Temple - Penang.

The temple is by the sea side and one would have a wonderful peaceful feeling when entering into the temple. At the entrance of the temple, there will be a Buddha Statute Shrine as this land belonged to a Chinese fisherman who eventually gave it to the temple.

Lord Buddha Shrine at the Entrance.

When we arrived, we were the the only people there, thus we a nice private prayers conducted nicely by the temple priest. It is always a nice feeling coming back to this temple and darshan of Amma was superb. After prayers then we proceed to the Madurai Veeran Ayya temple in front of the amman temple.

Picture of Lord Vishnu in the temple.

Madurai Veeran Ayya Sannidhi

Veeran Ayya.

After praying to Madurai Veeran Ayya, we rested at the temple area and waited for Uncle Maniam,Auntie Saro and Kavita and her family to arrive. While waiting, i took some photo's of the temple and the surrounding area of it, there was some renovation going on there in preparation for the Masi Magam festival is due on the 18th February 2011.

Wife at the entrance of the temple

After about 10 minutes we were there, finally Uncle Maniam arrived and they proceed to the temple to do their prayers and then 5 minutes later, Kavita arrived with her family. We all spend some time at the temple compound and then deciding to go visit a Ayya temple on the hill area.

AYYA Temple on the Hill.

Leaving the temple, we first proceed to gas station to re fuel the cars.Then we proceed to the Ayya temple which is near the Hydro Hotel. We parked our car near the Reef Apartments and walked into a private property now towards the temple.

Sanggili Ayya 

Arriving at the temple, i was shocked to see changes to the temple which i saw about 10 years ago. This is also a very powerful and sentimental temple to me as my protector Sanggili Ayya is from here..I could feel his presence ever so powerful here.

Periya Aachi Amman

Mutha Muniswaran Ayya

We spend time here and then made our way down the hill and was headed to town to have lunch and then do some shopping for some cd's.After spending about 10 minutes looking for parking at a packed area, we first went to the Lakshmi Video Centre to purchase our Cd's.Everyone spent some considerable amount of money buying cd's and i topped all of them by purchasing in an amount of RM 380.00.

After that we all proceeded to the Anandha Bhavan to have lunch. We had a very good lunch and went back to hotel to rest. The whole day all of us rested well and that night we went to the nearby restaurant to have dinner and rested for the night.

The next day..after breakfast we proceeded to town for the ladies to do their shopping. Arriving at the market street, we found 2 parking spots nearby and we took it. After shopping for about an hour or so, we then proceed to the Vetrivel Book Shop to purchase some books.

I guided the group to the Queen Street and showed them the Queen Street Mariamman Temple where the chariot of Lord Murugan had returned.Then we decided to have young coconut drink and then we proceed to gurney plaza to have lunch.

Arriving there at about 3.00 PM, we proceed to the Chicken Rice Shop to have our lunch. After lunch we proceed to the Reject Shop where we bought some clothes and then we proceed back to the hotel to rest.

Dinner at Bali Hai Restaurant.

Dinner Finishing.

Our night program was to have dinner at the Sea Food Restaurant called Bali Hai. We are to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Uncle Maniam and Auntie Saro. Ordered some nice sea food and had a wonderful time. Finished our dinner and we spend some time by the sea at the gurney drive.

Must say that this year's Thaipusam was good indeed and tomorrow everyone will be on the journey back and will plan for next years trip. Till then..........