Sabarimala Festival Calendar 2014-2015

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Pooja Timings at Sabarimala         

Morning
Opening of sanctum sanctorum	4.00 a.m.
Nirmalya darshanam	4.05 a.m.
Ganapati homam	4.15 a.m.
Neyyabhishekam	4.15 a.m. to 12.00 p.m
Usha pooja	7.30 a.m.
Kalabhabhishekam	12.30 p.m.
Ucha pooja	1.00 p.m.
Closing of sanctum sanctorum	1.30 p.m.
Evening
Opening of sanctum sanctorum	4.00 p.m.
Deeparadhana	6.30 p.m.
Pushpabhishekam	7.00 p.m.
Athazha pooja	10.30 p.m.
Harivarasanam	10.50 p.m.
Closing of sanctum sanctorum	11.00 p.m.

Thaipusam ignites racist rants on Twitter

The annual Thaipusam festival never fails to bring traffic at Batu Caves and its surrounding areas to a crawl.

The Hindu homage to Lord Muruga draws more than a million people, among them devotees, tourists and Malaysians of all faiths.

Since taking over the reins in 2009, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has also made it a point to visit the iconic Batu Caves temple on Thaipusam, which is a public holiday in several states.

This year, Thaipusam fell on a Friday (Jan 17), which is also the day that Muslims perform their Solat Jumaat in mosques.

And the traffic congestion as a result of Thaipusam saw a slew of racist and derogatory remarks made on Twitter.

Among others, one tweet says: “Bodoh punya keling (derogatory term for Indians) paria baruah anjing! Thaipusam kau, kau cuti. Aku nak pergi Solat Jumaat, kau tak bagi. Keling sakai anjing.”

(Stupid pariah Indian dogs. It is your Thaipusam, you go on leave. I want to go carry out Friday prayers, you do not allow. Keling sakai dogs.)

'Politicians to blame'

Screen captures of these messages have now gone viral.

Observers have blamed politicians from race-based parties for the regression in racial ties due to the playing up of racial and religious sentiments to garner votes.

Umno and its leaders often shoulder the lion’s share of the blame.

Some have claimed that Umno has chosen to up the racial and religious ante as its leaders are aware that it is the only formula that can ensure the party continues to remain in power.

Prior to this, MIC lodged a police report against a Facebook user, "Man Namblast", who posted a status on Jan 18 that read: "Berpuluh ribu syaitan sedang berarak menaiki tangga Batu Cave." (Tens of thousands of devils are marching up the steps of Batu Caves).


Source : http://beta.malaysiakini.com/news/252341

Dare an Umno member assault an Umno minister? Sorry Kamalanathan, you're from MIC

COMMENT: It's sad but true. Politically-associated violence is becoming more rampant in the country.
Politicians receiving bodily harm and cases of assault in public are not uncommon these days and no longer perceived as isolated incidents.

It's not surprising too when some Malaysian politicians are also being called gangsters publicly.

The recent assault of Deputy Education Minister Datuk P Kamalanathan by an Umno Youth member only seems to suggest that violence is deemed acceptable in a society which values peace and harmony.

Isn't that shameful!

The act of violence by the Hulu Selangor division Umno Youth member should be condemned outright, no matter which way one looks at it.

He has absolutely no right to punch the deputy minister who was at that time performing his official duty.
If there was a misunderstanding, the matter should have been settled amicably instead of violently.

Was it a case of Umno having no respect for an MIC leader like Kamalanathan or was it just a matter between the two men?

On Jan 12, Kamalanathan, who is also Hulu Selangor MP, was assaulted by a man who was later identified as Mohamad Rizuan Suhaimi, the Hulu Selangor Umno Youth assistant secretary.

The power of ritual and Thaipusam celebration

We are all – irrespective of race or religion – products and participants, even creators, of ritual. Take the handshake. This is a daily ritual for most of us. 

The moment we see a friend or relative, or someone next to a friend or relative, we automatically extend a hand.

Why do we shake hands? It probably started during tribal times when body language was used to gauge one’s intentions.

So, when a person came with open palms it would mean he came in peace – or at last you would know he held no weapon. The handshake was the best way to discover if the other held a weapon.

Today, of course, this ritual is a symbol of goodwill, of welcome.

There are many other rituals in our daily life, from the way we start our day to the way we mourn at a funeral.

Religious rituals, however, are richer, with depths of meaning that can inspire and astound. Kavadi carrying and other rituals associated with Thaipusam, for instance, fall into this category.

Why no Tamil on signboards in KLIA 2?

COMMENT: An airport is one main gateway into a country. What you see on signboards there are supposed to reflect the main racial composition and the cultures of the country you are stepping into.

But it seems that is not the case in Malaysia. The Tamil language -- the mother tongue of some 75% of the third largest race in the country, Indians (about two million), has been conveniently left out of the signboards of the soon-to-be-opened KLIA 2 airport.

The exclusion has created a furore in the Tamil dailies with many of them highlighting the matter on their front pages.

The issue came to light following a recent media tour with the acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to the airport.

What fuelled the fire is the inclusion of the Japanese language on the signboards, alongside Jawi and the more prominent English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese.

It is a fact that many Indians, especially the younger generation, cannot read and write Tamil but that is not reason enough for ignoring it totally, language activists decried.

Is The Government Not Concerned For The People's Suffering?

IT'S like pouring salt to injury. That is how Malaysians feel now as price and rate increment imposed by the Malaysian government seems to pressure the existing burden faced by Malaysian citizens.

The coming year will be the most challenging, especially for the low and moderate income as price of goods and services increase simultaneously.

After the 13th general election, the government never cease to surprise Malaysians with shocking news when they announced, one after another, price increase in goods and services as well as the removal or reduction of government subsidies.

It started with the reduction of subsidies that lead to the increase of RON95 and diesel by 20 per cent, followed by the removal of sugar subsidy by 34 cents, the increase in electricity tariff by 4.99 sen per kilowatt hour (KWH), the revised rate of gas, LRT and monorail and the current toll rates in 13 highway seems to form a series of price increases.

Previously, the Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof said that there will be a revision on the toll rates structure revision next year.

However, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar from the Prime Minister's Department dropped the bomb and said the time has come for the toll rates to be increased, given that the concession agreement stated that it (rates) should be reviewed and increased in 2011.

World unites for Mandela memorial

SOWETO: Tens of thousands of grieving South Africans will sit side-by-side with presidents, priests, queens and sheikhs today at a memorial service for unifying global icon Nelson Mandela.

Close to 100 world leaders and 80,000 South Africans will gather at a stadium in Soweto — the crucible of Mandela’s anti-apartheid struggle — to bid farewell to a man whose life story earned uncommon universal respect.

News of the prisoner-turned-president’s death at his home in Johannesburg on Thursday resonated around the world, triggering a wave of loving admiration from political and religious leaders, some of whom agree on little else.

The presidents of the United States and Cuba are among those who will share a stage, pausing rivalries that date back to the Cold War to pay tribute as millions around the world look on.

The event is part of an extended state funeral that will culminate in Mandela’s burial on Sunday in the rural village of Qunu where he spent his early childhood.

A massive security operation will swing into place as South Africans grab their final chance to unite in a mass celebration of Mandela’s life ahead of the more formal lying in state.