Temple turns 100 in style

The Star, Sunday, 17 January 2016

by joash ee de silva

KAJANG: Old is indeed gold and that proverb rings true of the Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple in Kajang as more than a thousand devotees celebrated its 100th anniversary celebration.

The highlight was marked with Lord Murugan adorned in gold-plated armour. 

During the prayers, 1,008 pots were filled with holy water and herbs, and passed via a human chain into the temple. 

Inside the temple, the water was poured over Lord Murugan before it was poured in little bottles or plastic bags to be distributed to the devotees to drink. 

Temple management committee president Datuk K. Kirubakaran said “the beauty of the event is to see the crowd coming to worship, as in Hinduism, vibrations are also created by devotees thronging the temple”. 

“We are gifted that Lord Murugan has chosen this place and we hope that he will continue to bless our community,” he added. 

Memorabilia gold coins were made to mark the occasion.

The temple is the oldest Hindu place of worship in Selangor. In fact, a shrine was already placed at the site even before 1916, but the century mark is counted from when a group of Hindu pioneers bought the land in Jalan Reko here. 

Land office records indicate that in 1916, the five pioneers – Thambipillay Sinnathamby, Thamboo Valupillai, R. Karuppiah Pillay, Saminathan Muthiah and N. Letchumanan Chettiar – bought Lot 624 in the district of Kajang to begin the construction of a proper temple. It measured about 1.2ha. 

Family friend of Kirubakaran, Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok, who frequented the temple for 35 years, said the centenary celebration was an important and unique milestone. 

“I am very fortunate to have seen the transformation, modernisation and extension of the temple,” said the businessman. 

“I have been to many celebrations at this temple. Today’s is one of the biggest.” 

Joyous day: Devotees throng the Sri Subramaniya Swami temple at Jalan Reko, Kajang.