February 5 (Sunday) is the Thaipusam holiday, which is celebrated in 7 states in the country.
Before 2008, the holiday was limited to Selangor, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Johor, but former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah announced on January 20, 2008 that the holiday would be a public holiday in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
This also means that now 7 states are entitled to the holiday. The states and regions that are entitled to the holiday are Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya and Selangor, while people in other states are not entitled to the holiday.
Every year, Thaipusam falls on the full moon of the 10th month of the Tamil calendar, the “month of Thai”, in January or February of the Gregorian calendar. It is a day of atonement, devotion and thanksgiving for the Hindu god of war, Dewa Murugan, who destroyed the three demons in the name of virtue under the divine will, and a day of devotion to Hindutva.
Many devotees and ascetics pierce sharp instruments such as long needles and wires on their mouths and bodies, while others carry various shrines in procession, and some climb the stairs of the Black Wind Cave with prayer objects hooked on their bodies.
