Batu Caves dress code draws mixed reaction

KUALA LUMPUR: The dress code imposed by the Batu Caves Sri Subramaniar Temple committee drew brickbats from joggers and devotees alike.

While some argued that it may affect tourist arrival, one even gave spiritual reasons to back his argument.
D Ponranggan, a senior citizen who frequents the temple for prayers, said a man of faith would not be perturbed by people wearing shorts or any other attire.

“Are you telling me that our people are so weak in faith that a man or women in shorts would distract them while praying?” he asked.

Ponranggan, a permanent resident in Malaysia, argued that imposing such a guideline would not give foreigners a good impression of Malaysia as a developing country.

“Our body itself is a temple and God lives in everyone. So, are we still going to stop ourselves from seeing people in shorts and skirts wherever we go? I think this is not logical,” he said.

Yesterday, FMT reported that the temple committee has imposed several prohibition on the visitors such as no smoking, running up the steps and spitting as well as barring them from wearing shorts, skirts and having pets with them.

Ishtiaq - A humble all-round sportsman

OBITUARY Ex-sportsmen seldom make good coaches. Isthiaq Mubarak bucked the trend. He probably is the only ex-international who has produced endless champions.
He was no ordinary coach. Nor was he an ordinary athlete. He was special. A passionate lover of sports.

To the athletes he was a father figure. More of a Svengali. Young athletes looked up to him as a role model.

Ishtiaq had the acumen of spotting talent. He simply loved to pick 15-year-olds and groom them to become champions.

When I first met Ishtiaq in 1981 at the Kampung Pandan sports complex in Kuala Lumpur, he was training Wan Zaleha Radzi, 15, to hurdle.

Less than a year later Wan Zaleha, who later made her name as a TV3 newscaster, was winning medals in school championships at Asean level.

"Ishtiaq was more than an inspiration. He was kind of a coach you just trust and surrender yourself too," recalls Zaleha.

Ishtiaq had an uncanny ability to get the best out of an athlete. He was a great motivator. One can cite numerous examples but a classic case was that of decathlete Hanapiah Nasir.

No spitting, no shorts: Dress code at Batu Caves

PETALING JAYA: A dress code for visitors, especially morning joggers, to the Batu Caves Sri Subramaniar temple has been put up at the foot of the 272 steps due to complaints made by temple devotees.

Temple committee chairman R Nadarajah said devotees came to pray as early as 7am and they were especially embarrassed and disturbed to see people exercising in front of the temple when prayers were being conducted.

“People cannot exercise in front of the temple in shorts. We have been receiving complaints every week,” said Nadarajah.He said joggers in shorts would be told to exercise in the field nearby.

Nadarajah said this when asked to comment on a Chinese daily report on six dress code prohibitions imposed by temple management committee.

According to the Sin Chew Daily’s front page report, visitors to Batu Caves are not allowed to smoke, run up the 272 steps, spit, wear shorts, wear skirts and bring pets.

Temple’s works committee chairman N Sivakumar said devotees wearing shorts and carrying kavadis during Thaipusam would however be allowed.

“They are coming here for a religious purpose and there will be no restrictions for tourists during Thaipusam,” he said.

He added that competitions such as the Tanggathon Batu Caves could still be held provided that the participants were properly attired and inform the temple committee in advance.

“We can allocate one or two flight of steps for the participants without inconveniencing and endangering devotees,” he said.More than 800,000 locals and foreigners visit the temple every year.


Source :http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/08/12/no-spitting-no-shorts-dress-code-at-batu-caves/

BAM perlu buka mata sebab kegagalan

GUANGZHOU: Biar apa jua alasan dan sebab musabab, skripnya tetap sama dan tidak boleh diubah. Pemain Malaysia sekali lagi gagal membawa pulang gelaran pada Kejohanan Badminton Dunia 2013 yang berakhir di sini semalam.

Ketika pasukan jiran tetangga, Indonesia dan Thailand berbangga kerana pemain masing-masing mampu menjulang kejuaraan pada kejohanan itu, skuad Malaysia terpaksa berpuas hati apabila Datuk Lee Chong Wei sekadar di tempat kedua dalam acara perseorangan lelaki.

Untuk rekod, pemain Indonesia muncul juara dalam acara beregu lelaki dan beregu campuran manakala pemain muda Thailand, Ratchanok Intanon merangkul gelaran dunia dalam kategori perseorangan wanita.

Kegagalan Chong Wei menamatkan badi kekalahannya kepada musuh tradisi, Lin Dan dari China pada perlawanan akhir semalam, mengulangi skrip seperti pada Kejohanan Badminton Dunia 2011 dan Sukan Olimpik 2012, kedua-duanya di London.

Pada ketiga-tiga pertemuan tersebut, Chong Wei gagal kepada lawan yang sama iaitu Lin Dan yang kini sudah mengecap lima kejuaraan dunia dan dua pingat emas pada temasya Sukan Olimpik.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 44

Pada suatu petang, Devayani bersama-sama Puteri Sarmista dan sekumpulan kawan sedang mandi di tebing sebuah tasik.

Sarmista adalah anak kepada Raja Vrishaparva iaitu pemerintah bagi golongan asura. Penasihat diraja pula ialah Maharishi Sukracharya yang memiliki mantera Sanjivini.

Melalui hubungan itulah Devayani mengenali Sarmista dan hubungan mereka juga agak rapat.

Sukracharya membiarkan anak gadisnya meluangkan masa bersama-sama puteri itu kerana sekurang-kurangnya boleh membantu melupakan pengalaman pahit bercinta dan kemudian ditinggalkan Kacha iaitu anak Maharishi Brihaspati yang merupakan penasihat golongan vasu (dewa).

Pada petang itu, Devayani, Sarmista dan kawan-kawan mereka memutuskan untuk mandi di dalam tasik. Untuk itu, mereka menanggalkan pakaian dan meletakkannya di atas beberapa ketul batu besar di tepi tasik.

Sewaktu kumpulan gadis berkenaan sedang seronok bermain dan mandi di dalam tasik yang berair sejuk dan jernih, angin bertiup agak kencang.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 43

Maharishi Sukracharya segera memejamkan mata dan mulutnya terkumat-kamit membaca mantra (mantera) dalam Bahasa Sanskrit.

Tindakan itu adalah untuk mengetahui di mana mayat Kacha yang dikerat-kerat dan dibakar menjadi abu itu dibuang.

Apabila lokasi sebenar sudah diketahui, mudahlah untuk maharishi itu menggunakan mantera Sanjivini untuk menghidupkan semula Kacha, anak Maharishi Brihaspati.

Devayani terus menanti dengan tidak sabar di hadapan bapanya. Gadis itu benar-benar risau memikirkan nasib kekasihnya.

Pada pendiriannya, sekiranya Kacha tidak dapat dihidupkan semula, biarlah dia turut mati bersama-sama buah hatinya itu.

Seketika kemudian, Sukracharya membuka kelopak mata. Keningnya berkerut dan peluh mula kelihatan mengalir turun dari dahi dan pipi.

Matanya tidak berkelip sewaktu merenung tajam ke arah anak gadisnya.

“Kenapa? Apa yang berlaku? Di mana Kacha? Sudahkan mantera Sanjivini dilafazkan untuk menghidupkannya semula?”

Mahabharata – Bahagian 42

Apabila Kacha dibunuh oleh segerombolan asura bagi kali ketiga, mayatnya dikerat-kerat, dihancurkan sehingga lumat, dibakar menjadi abu dan dimasukkan ke dalam bekas kecil.

Sebagaimana diarahkan oleh ketua asura, bekas itu dibawa ke ashram milik Maharishi Sukracharya di Vrishaparva.

Penasihat kepada golongan asura itu tidak mengetahui semua ini.

Pada tengah hari, apabila Sukracharya meminta secawan air, Devayani segera pergi untuk mendapatkannya. Walau bagaimanapun, seorang asura sempat memasukkan abu mayat Kacha ke dalam cawan minuman itu.

Menjelang senja, Devayani kembali risau. Kacha yang membawa lembu-lembu ke padang ragut masih belum pulang.

Tidak lama kemudian, lembu-lembu berkenaan sahaja kelihatan berjalan pulang ke ashram.

Gadis itu segera menangis kerana dapat mengagak bahawa sesuatu yang buruk telah melanda kekasihnya sekali lagi.

 Devayani tidak tahu mengapa Kacha sentiasa menjadi sasaran penjenayah dan pembunuh. Dia juga tidak tahu bahawa pembunuhan dilakukan oleh golongan asura sendiri.