KUALA LUMPUR - It has been two years since the Hindu community got to celebrate Thaipusam in all its splendours and colours due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
Today, Hindu devotees did not miss their chance to celebrate Lord Murugan and offer their prayers and vows.
Seeing the excitement drawn on their faces, it was as if the environment of the Batu Caves temple came back to life after being quiet since 2020.
Friends and families - some of them already at the temple as early as seven in the morning dressed in colourful bright attire and looked beautiful bathed in the morning light.
For Sharmila Murugaiah, 37, she and her family came to the temple as early as 7am and it was already crowded with people.
"I left the house at six in the morning and managed to get a parking spot but it was quite a walking distance.
"The celebration today went very well and we’re all very excited as it has been two years since we got together here at the Batu Caves temple,” she said.
For Logawatthany Tamil Selvan, 37, who came all the way from Negeri Sembilan with her 12 family members this year's celebration was extra special.
"We have arrived since yesterday and my family has never missed celebrating Thaipusam here in Batu Caves.
"Before Covid-19, we came here every year and never missed. We can see the differences where last year was manageable than today.
"One of our family members only needs one hour to go up to the temple, but for today he needs to take longer than that,” she said.
Shared Logawatthany, she was truly content to see that the public now could be together and celebrate the Thaipusam festival again after two years being locked down.
Meanwhile, Indonesian tourist, Nurul Fadhilah, 29 said she was on a holiday with her friend and coincidentally came to the Thaipusam festival - without knowing there was celebration today.
"Actually we didn't know there was a festival here and we came without knowing. But it was amazing to see so many people gathered here and celebrating.
"I don’t think we have a celebration like this in Indonesia,” she said.