No foot procession for Thaipusam in 2022
Hindu devotees will not be able to carry out their traditional foot procession for the second year running and will have to be fully vaccinated to take part in Thaipusam 2022.
Hindu devotees will not be able to carry out their traditional foot procession for the second year running and will have to be fully vaccinated to take part in Thaipusam 2022.
The festival falls on Jan 18, 2022.
There will also be no Kavadis (wooden or metal structures with milk offerings) and only pre-prepared milk pot offerings from the temple can be used.
There will be no foot procession from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Tank Road and activities will be conducted only in and around the temple.
The announcement was made on Dec 4 in a joint statement by the two temples and the Hindu Endowments Board, according to The Straits Times.
Devotees will also have to pre-book time slots to enter the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple and gatherings outside the temple will be banned.
They also must follow an assigned pathway and leave the temple premises after they finish giving their offerings and prayers. Safe distancing rules, including having a mask on at all times, must be adhered to.
The festival organisers said that these restrictions are needed as the world is experiencing new waves of COVID-19 infections. They said they decided to still hold the festival because of its historical significance.
To prevent any potential outbreaks of COVID-19, the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple will deny entry to devotees who have not pre-booked time slots or groups carrying musical instruments or any form of amplification device.
Only fully vaccinated devotees can participate in the festival on-site and enter the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, but an exception will be given for those medically ineligible for COVID-19 vaccines under the national vaccination programme.
All devotees entering the temple will have to use the TraceTogether app or token to check in. No NRIC or other ID scanning will be available at the entry point.
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), children and seniors are encouraged to pray from home instead, via a live stream of the Thaipusam prayer session.
