Marking Panguni Uthiram festival on a smaller scale

Devotees queueing up with milk pots at the annual Panguni Uthiram festival, which was held yesterday at the Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple in Yishun. It was a rather muted affair compared to previous years.

The festival is held in honour of Hindu god Murugan. Devotees usually bear an elaborate burden called kavadi and carry chariots and milk pots as they walk about 1.2km to seek blessings and fulfil their vows.

The procession usually takes place within Yishun Industrial Park A, where the temple is located. However, the chariot and foot procession was cancelled for the second consecutive year this year, in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Only milk pot offerings and general worship was carried out, with attendees required to make an online registration beforehand.

Around 7,000 devotees were expected at the day's festivities.