Half a million devotees expected in Ipoh, with authorities stepping up cleanliness enforcement and crowd management for Thaipusam
IPOH: Half a million devotees expected to throng Ipoh for Thaipusam on Feb 1 have been reminded to keep the city clean or face enforcement action.
The crowd is set to converge on the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Sungai Pari and the Lord Subramaniar Kallumalai Temple in Gunung Cheroh, with the festival falling on a long weekend and a public holiday in Perak.
Ipoh Hindu Devasthana Paripalana Sabha secretary V.M. Thiagarajan said the Ipoh City Council would deploy 100 rubbish bins at key locations, while the temple committee would provide another 50.
“Do not litter, as enforcement officers will be monitoring the areas.”
He added that reminders would be displayed prominently, with regular announcements over the public address system, including warnings on the consequences of littering.
To date, 500 kavadi bearers have registered with the temple, with more expected in the coming days.
New interlocking bricks have also been laid around the Lord Subramaniar Temple to improve crowd movement and safety.
Thaipusam celebrations will begin on Jan 31 with the chariot procession carrying the statue of Lord Subramaniar from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Sungai Pari to Gunung Cheroh, via Jalan Sungai Pari, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Lahat, Jalan Sultan Yussuf, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah and Jalan Raja Musa Aziz.
On Feb 1, devotees would carry kavadis from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple to Gunung Cheroh using the same route.
The following day, the chariot procession from the Lord Subramaniar Temple would make its return journey along the same roads to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Sungai Pari.
