Thaipusam festival devotees

The Batu Caves is one of the most prominent Hindu shrines outside India. During the Thaipusam Festival, the caves see a million devotees plus thousands of observers joining the processions. The gathering is bigger than India’s itself and notably one of the world’s largest. And speaking of largest…

Unveiled in 2006, the 42.7 meter high statue is the largest of this Hindu god’s–and the second largest of a Hindu deity–in the world. Fifteen Indian sculptors collaborated to create the giant golden statue made of concrete, steel bars and gold paint. It costs RM 2.5 million and took three years to make.

A visit won’t be complete without climbing the 272 staircase to the temple cave. During the Thaipusam festival, devotees must climb these steps while carrying offerings to Lord Murugan. And not just any lightweight present–these offerings are milk containers that could be as heavy as a hundred kilo!

While ascending to the temple, you may meet some macaque monkeys. Travelers strongly advice to follow the sign on the temple and not feed them because they are not fuzzy sorts in zoos. Traveler Annie from the Philippines explains, “We enjoyed climbing the 272 steps and were welcomed by monkeys along the stairs just be careful they might grab your bag wouldn’t want to hold any kind of food which could catch their attention.”

Lord Ram is the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu in Hinduism and a king of Ayodhya in Hindu scriptures. Ram's life come from the Ramayana, born as the eldest son of Kausalya and Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya, Ram is referred to within Hinduism as Maryada Purushottama. Ram is the husband of Sita an brother of Lakshman.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak described Datuk Zulkifli Noordin today as a champion of Indian issues in Shah Alam where the Perkasa vice-president is contesting in Election 2013. The BN chairman’s defence of the controversial Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate comes even as MIC leader S. Vell Paari warned the ruling coalition recently that the Malay rights leader would cost BN Selangor in the May 5 polls.

“I’ve spoken to quite a number of Indians and they’re supporting him,” said the caretaker prime minister in a press conference at the Concorde Hotel here today. “He’s already championed some issues pertaining to the Indian community in Shah Alam, like a Tamil school and another temple in Shah Alam,” added the Selangor BN chairman.

Vell said last Wednesday that BN was risking the Indian vote by fielding Zulkifli, which he said would likely become the deciding vote in states like Selangor that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had won in Election 2008. Zulkifli will be contesting against incumbent Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad in the Malay-majority state capital, who is seen as a progressive voice in PAS.

Vell, who is the son of former MIC chief Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, also noted that there are some 15,000 Indian voters in Shah Alam, 31,000 in Kota Raja, 21,000 in Kapar and 17,000 in Subang, many among whom he said were angered by Najib’s selection of Zulkifli, who had allegedly insulted the Hindu community. Najib, however, dismissed Zulkifli’s actions as “history”, noting that the former PAS man had apologised over his remarks.