The World Behind The Viewfinder

My second time visiting this temple at Jenjarung (first time being a few years back), it now has a new tower near one of the side entrances. It is a pay-per-visit thingy that cost RM10/person to go up and have a bird eye's view. The temple is decorated with lots of red lanterns and small yellowish lightbulbs, and it is quite crowded when we were there around 7:30-9pm. There is also flowers display at the 1st floor of one of the buildings. At the ground floor of the building there are some small but very interesting buddha statues on display.

See more photos here.

Pole decorated with Dragon	Red Lanterns and Fireworks

Arriving just before midnight, temple is already 'people mountain people sea'. We got lucky to get a parking at the foot of the hill. Most of the lanterns/lights were not switched on, waiting for turning to Year of the Pig at 12 midnight. 林祥才 was there addressing to the crowd beside the temple entrance. There was also a fireworks show at 12 midnight for about 10 minutes.

More photos at thean_hou_temple album. 

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It was very crowded, as expected during each year's Thaipusam, but this year it was reported over 1.5M people turned up at Batu Caves during the few days of Thaipusam celebration. I don't know which genius comes out with this figure, but while I was there at 1st Feb noon time, the crowd was overwhelming especially at the 272 staircase steps leading to the Caves' entrance. I didn't plan to go up there this time, as it will be easily taking a few hours. It was physically challenged to stuck in between the crowd to track up the steps under the blazing sun rays, let alone those of whom bearing the heavy Kavadis. This is really a mind-over-body feast for the devotees - Salute Salute!

Rosy Back	Young Devotee	Trance

Few more photos here: thaipusam_2007