Crowds swell to 30,000 for Chithirai Pournami at Teluk Intan’s 150‑year‑old temple

TELUK INTAN, May 1 — The annual Chithirai Pournami festival here remains a vibrant affair, with some 30,000 Hindu devotees flocking to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Jalan Bandar.

Devotees began thronging the 150-year-old temple early this morning to fulfil their vows, starting with the paal koodam (milk pots) ceremony, followed by prayer rituals, the carrying of kavadis, and the breaking of coconuts.

Local authorities, together with the police and the People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA), were on the ground to provide traffic control and security, ensuring the smooth running of the three-day celebration.

Chithirai Pournami refers to the full moon that falls in the first month of the Tamil calendar, known as Chithirai (April-May).

It is often celebrated as ‘Mini Thaipusam’ in Malaysia and honours Lord Chitragupta and Lord Murugan.

Meanwhile, Perak Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs, and National Integration Committee chairman Datuk A. Sivanesan said traders involved in the Chithirai Pournami festival here will be relocated to a new site starting next year.

He said this follows upgrading works at the Leaning Tower Square in Teluk Intan, scheduled to begin this June and expected to take three years to complete.

“All traders will be moved to Jalan Mahkota, the site currently used for the Teluk Intan Ramadan Bazaar,” he told reporters after observing the Chithirai Pournami celebrations here today.

Sivanesan said an early notice has been issued to the traders to allow them to make the necessary preparations.

He added that the relocation is also crucial to reducing congestion and improving comfort for visitors who attend the festival annually. — Bernama