Hindraf urges boycott of Thaipusam at Batu Caves

KUALA LUMPUR: Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, an ad hoc apolitical human rights group working across the political divide, has called on Hindus this year to boycott Thaipusam at Batu Caves if the Committee insists on desecrating an ancient Hindu rite and practice, “paal abishekam”, by employing motorized equipment to shower the milk from the devotees onto the deity.

“They should observe Thaipusam at other temples in the country which observe the right practices according to Hindu rites.”

“Hindraf is totally mystified and appalled by the attitude of the Batu Caves Committee,” said Hindraf Chief P. Waythamoorthy in a statement. “The Committee should continue with the usual practice instead of employing the motorized abishekam.”

Waytha said the matter was brought to Hindraf’s attention through a video on You Tube which has since gone viral.

Waytha alleged that the Committee had no regards for the feelings of thousands of devotees who had undertaken severe penance to participate in showering their “paal kadum” (pots of milk) in the final ritual, abishekam, during Thaipusam.

“The purpose of showering the milk on the deity (abishekam) is a process of cleansing oneself of sins and to satisfy any debt bondage to the deity,” explained Waytha. “This practice is observed worldwide in India, Fiji, Sri Lanka, South Africa, USA, U.K, Australia and Singapore, among other places, during the Thaipusam month.”

In these countries, he added, millions of people bring along their “paal kadum” for the satisfaction of their milk being showered individually by the priests who normally chant mantras as they do so. “There are no mantras chanted under the motorized method intended to be practiced in Batu Caves.”

The belief between an individual and the deity is personal in nature, stressed the Hindraf Chief, “and therefore motorizing the showering of the deity or motorized abishekam is clearly an absurd method by the Batu Caves Committee”.

It not only desecrates Hindu rites, he reiterated, but also insults the individual devotee who had painstakingly undertaken severe penance to fulfill their devotion to the deity.

Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/01/26/hindraf-urges-boycott-of-thaipusam-at-batu-caves/