Page 49 - Malayan Story
P. 49
MALAYAN STORY
CHAPTER 14 TAMIL WORK
Our work in the New Villages was mainly directed at the Chinese, but there were other minority
groups in Malaya, though they were not living under the same restrictions as the Chinese. All were
equally in need of the Gospel, but we were handicapped somewhat by not being conversant with
their languages, nor did we have any suitable literature.
Among these minority groups were the Tamils from India. They were often employed as rubber
tappers in some of the big plantations. They came from South East India and kept largely to
themselves. While they were despised by other groups, they in turn tended to look down on other
races.
Their religion was Hindu and a highlight in their religious year was a festival called Thaipesam
which was centred on the Batu Caves 8 miles out of Kuala Lumpur. This festival always attracted
large crowds and in January 1954 we decided to go out and see for ourselves what was attracting
them. So congested was the main road to the caves that we had to park the car and walk with the
mainly Indian crowd the rest of the way. We made our way over the bridge which crossed the river,
and as we were crossing we glanced down to see an old woman, fully clothed, dipping herself again
and again in the muddy water of the river, devoutly making certain that every part of her was
washed. One could almost feel her heart crying out to be cleansed and I wanted to tell her about the
One whose blood could cleanse her from all sin.
We came to a large open space where there was a kind of market selling all sorts of food and other
items of interest to the Hindus and tourists who made up the thronging mass. We could hear a Babel
of languages including English and Chinese as well as the Indian Tamil speakers.
Beyond the market area we were drawn with the crowd to 350 steps which led up to the main cave.
Although the steps were wide, they were crowded with people and equally divided between people
going up and those coming down. When we reached the top we followed the crowd until we came
to a shrine cut into a wall of the cave. The main feature of the shrine was an image of the god
Subramanium and it was fenced off to keep the crowds back. There was a gift sword and incense
burning in front of the god.
The worshippers bowed low before the idol and many brought halves of coconuts with several
bananas on top and handed them to attendants behind the railing. The attendants carried the offerings
to the god and sprinkled them with ash from a fire that was burning before the god. Also from the
fire they lit a wick which was protruding from the shell and then gave it back to the worshipper who
paid over some money. Others ran up the 350 steps carrying a huge basketware frame - a havada -
on their shoulders. The havada was brightly decorated and was also offered to the god. In another
enclosure we saw a young goat and in another pen were dozens of fowls, all, we presumed were for
sacrifice later on.
On the opposite side of the cave was another shrine which contained a large iron spear, standing
upright with incense burning in front of it. We were told that in 1099 some Hindus were imprisoned
49
CHAPTER 14 TAMIL WORK
Our work in the New Villages was mainly directed at the Chinese, but there were other minority
groups in Malaya, though they were not living under the same restrictions as the Chinese. All were
equally in need of the Gospel, but we were handicapped somewhat by not being conversant with
their languages, nor did we have any suitable literature.
Among these minority groups were the Tamils from India. They were often employed as rubber
tappers in some of the big plantations. They came from South East India and kept largely to
themselves. While they were despised by other groups, they in turn tended to look down on other
races.
Their religion was Hindu and a highlight in their religious year was a festival called Thaipesam
which was centred on the Batu Caves 8 miles out of Kuala Lumpur. This festival always attracted
large crowds and in January 1954 we decided to go out and see for ourselves what was attracting
them. So congested was the main road to the caves that we had to park the car and walk with the
mainly Indian crowd the rest of the way. We made our way over the bridge which crossed the river,
and as we were crossing we glanced down to see an old woman, fully clothed, dipping herself again
and again in the muddy water of the river, devoutly making certain that every part of her was
washed. One could almost feel her heart crying out to be cleansed and I wanted to tell her about the
One whose blood could cleanse her from all sin.
We came to a large open space where there was a kind of market selling all sorts of food and other
items of interest to the Hindus and tourists who made up the thronging mass. We could hear a Babel
of languages including English and Chinese as well as the Indian Tamil speakers.
Beyond the market area we were drawn with the crowd to 350 steps which led up to the main cave.
Although the steps were wide, they were crowded with people and equally divided between people
going up and those coming down. When we reached the top we followed the crowd until we came
to a shrine cut into a wall of the cave. The main feature of the shrine was an image of the god
Subramanium and it was fenced off to keep the crowds back. There was a gift sword and incense
burning in front of the god.
The worshippers bowed low before the idol and many brought halves of coconuts with several
bananas on top and handed them to attendants behind the railing. The attendants carried the offerings
to the god and sprinkled them with ash from a fire that was burning before the god. Also from the
fire they lit a wick which was protruding from the shell and then gave it back to the worshipper who
paid over some money. Others ran up the 350 steps carrying a huge basketware frame - a havada -
on their shoulders. The havada was brightly decorated and was also offered to the god. In another
enclosure we saw a young goat and in another pen were dozens of fowls, all, we presumed were for
sacrifice later on.
On the opposite side of the cave was another shrine which contained a large iron spear, standing
upright with incense burning in front of it. We were told that in 1099 some Hindus were imprisoned
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