Visitors gather at Batu Caves and Gua Musang for Deepavali celebrations

Devotees and international tourists gathered at the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves, Selangor, and the Sri Subramanyaswamy Temple in Gua Musang, Kelantan, to celebrate Deepavali.

Tourists from Russia and Germany visited the Batu Caves landmark to observe the festival's vibrant atmosphere and cultural diversity. While some visitors noted the kindness of local people and the joy of the fireworks, others observed the contrast between Malaysian traditions and their home countries.

One Indian bank officer noted that the Malaysian open-house tradition differed from the private family celebrations he experienced in India. In Gua Musang, a town 300km away, people gathered for a more intimate ceremony at a temple situated at the foot of a limestone hill. More than 100 visitors attended the event, including people from Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, as well as foreign plantation workers.

The temple secretary said the limestone backdrop provided a unique setting for the festivities compared to the busier crowds at Batu Caves. Individual devotees also used the holiday to maintain family traditions and reconnect with their communities. One man traveled from Kajang to his hometown two days early to continue a ritual started by his late father. Another young man visited the temple in the early morning to see relatives and friends before visiting other family homes.