GEORGE TOWN, Feb 3 — Penang is gearing up for what is anticipated to be the largest annual Thaipusam celebration to be held in the state.

On Saturday, between 55,000 and 60,000 more people are expected to attend the celebration which drew about one million visitors last year to the Penang Thanneermalai Shree Balathandayuthapani Temple or Penang Hilltop Temple.

Temple chairman Datuk R. Subramaniam said today the large number of people is anticipated as the Hindu festival falls on a weekend.

Besides the visitors, more devotees as well as kavadi and paalkudam bearers are expected for this year’s Thaipusam,  a celebration dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Muruga.

“Already, over the last two weekends, people have been coming to the temple here to fulfil their vows to avoid the congestion on Thaipusam day (on Saturday) itself,” he told Bernama in an interview at the temple.

“We are expecting an increase of about 55,000 to 60,000 visitors and also a 10 per cent increase of paalkudam and kavadi bearers for this year’s Thaipusam,” he said.

Subramaniam advised visitors to take precautions over their health during the celebration in view of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared as a global emergency.

Meanwhile, a new golden chariot is being assembled at the compound of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) here.

PHEB commissioner Datuk P. Kuvenaraju said work to assemble the chariot started seven months ago and the chariot will be used for the Thaipusam procession this year.

The chariot is 6.71 metres high, much higher than the 4.27-metre existing golden chariot owned by the Penang Hilltop Temple.

“We have not completely fixed all the ornaments (on the new golden chariot). It could weigh at least five tonnes,” he said.

Kuvenaraju said the smaller chariot will only be used within the temple compound and not on the road.

“Due to special circumstances, we brought the chariot out for the first two years (for the procession) and we found out later that to bring the chariot down from the hilltop was a huge and dangerous task,” he said.

Kuvenaraju said the new chariot will carry the golden Vel (spear) from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Queen Street to the Penang Hilltop Temple on Friday, the eve of Thaipusam, beginning at 6.01am. — Bernama