Malaysian Hindus to hold floating chariot festival
By IANSThursday, February 25, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR - The annual Masi Magam Theppa Thiruvila (floating chariot) festival will be held Sunday at the Sri Singamuga Kaliamman temple in Teluk Bahang.
The annual festival is celebrated to honour Lord Sri Singamuga Kaliamman.
The highlight of the festival would be the release of a statue of the deity, Lord Sri Singamuga Kalia-mman, on a brightly-lit float into the sea.
The temple was built 113 years ago, its secretary, N. Ganesan told New Straits Times.
“In the early days, the deity was taken to the sea by fishermen on boats.
“They had no alternatives then as there were no road facilities,” Ganesan said.
Malaysia is home to nearly two million ethnic Indians, a bulk of whom are Tamil Hindus who settled here during the British era.
