GEORGE TOWN, Jan 4 — Over a million Hindu devotees and tourists are expected to descend in Penang for the Thaipusam festival on February 1. 

To ensure the important festival runs as smoothly as in previous years, temples and organising committees are making detailed preparations to manage the influx, said Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) deputy chairman Dr R Lingeshwaran.

“Police records show last year’s crowd reached one million. With celebrations running from Saturday through Monday this year, we anticipate even more visitors, peaking on Sunday, February 1,” he said during a visit to the Thanneermalai Shree Balathandayuthapani Temple on Jalan Kebun Bunga today.

He added that tourist numbers, particularly from India, are also likely to rise following the reinstatement of direct Chennai-Penang flights. He confirmed that the board is working closely with police and other agencies to coordinate the large-scale, state-level event.

The PHEB and the temple have also launched a special transport service today to ferry elderly devotees and persons with disabilities to the hilltop temple.

Lingeshwaran explained that the service would enable devotees to safely perform religious rituals and vows without facing the overwhelming crowds on Thaipusam day.

“Last year, volunteers carried them up the steps. This year, we prioritised safety by providing four 4WD vehicles and 40 volunteers. We transported 60 elderly and disabled visitors to the temple today,” he said.

The initiative was taken to prevent injuries on the steep stairs and reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases, such as influenza, among vulnerable devotees. 

One beneficiary, 73-year-old R Punithavathi, thanked the endowment board for helping the elderly and disabled access the temple. Her husband, K Muniandy, 73, has been wheelchair bound after losing a leg in an accident six years ago.

“We live alone, and it’s very hard for me to bring him here, especially since I’m not well myself. Today, his wish to pray at the temple came true, and I pray that we may both be blessed with good health,” she said. — Bernama