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I was one of those who was very happy to see you and talk to you very briefly.I am copying a letter I sent to Malaysiakini for you blog.Your photos are worth your camping at Batu Caves.

I visited Batu Caves for Thaipusam on 1st Feb as I have always done many many years that I have forgotten how many. I came back with the following thoughts:
1.The crowd control arrangements was imposed with little or no imagination causing unnecessary delays and problems to the devotees.As the devotees enter the cave so many blocades are imposed by the security men obviously for the convenience of those who have reached the alter.But did they realise that that blocade, at frequent intervals interrupted and disrupted the visitors upto the ground level and beyond.Did they realise that the huge crowd included old men and women, small children and those carrying Kavadies? What was the reason to introduce these new measures when the free flow of people has worked well in previous years? Whose silly idea was it? All that has to be done is to station policemen or security men at strategic spots promting those who take more than a fair time to move on,saying there are other devotees behind waiting to say their prayers.
2. There are three lanes of steps properly divided.Previous years, the centre lane was reserved for Kavadies and those accompanying them to GO UP. Now that lane is closed for Kavadies to COME DOWN while those kavadies wanting to go up are stopped and wait for their turn to go up..Can you imagine the mental and physical state of those men and men, completely exhausted and impatient to reach the alter.The previous years arrangement of reserving the 3rd lane to come down for both kavadies and others has worked well without any problem.Whose stupid idea was it to change the previous years' arrangements which ran smoothly?
3.I listened to YB Dato Samy making a complete fool of himself, as usual,answering questions from the press on complaints from devotees.The Milk Pot carriers are charged RM10. per head . For what?The temple does not provide any service for the Milk Pot.This greedy plan was introduced one or two years ago with no justifiable reason.The idiotic part was Samy defending the Temple authories.Is he a Federal Minister,supposedly looking after the interests of the public, in particular, the Indian community, as he shamelessly says often or is he working for the temple committee or does he benefit in defending them? He looked very annoyed with the point made which was most relevent.
4.Parking.It is free for all. Why collect any parking fee on a public holiday at public roads, especially for an occassion which assembles the largest crowd in Malaysia for a celebration.Who is collecting the money and where does it go exhorbitant as it is @ RM 15.00 as reported by many? All it takes is for few traffic policemen to be around to ensure that vehicles are parked properly without causing any jam allowing two lanes of traffic along the mainroad to flow.Samy has an instant solution.He will ask the temple to build a multi storey car park.Does it he think at all or has he lost the capacity to?As he said there are enough parking bays for all days inside the compound other than for Thaipusam when the space is taken for stalls.A multistorey car park for use for one ONE DAY in a year,costing a few million? How will the temple recover the capital and how much will be charged for parking there for a day?
5.Stop talking big and foolish Samy.You said on every Thaipusam that you will get the Cabinet to agree for a Federal holiday for Thaipusam for the last umpteen years. What happened?That is a simple illustration of your influence with the Cabinet of what you can do for the community you, no doubt falsely, in my view, claim to represent.
One other point I wish to raise is that more than one police report made agaist certain individuals serving in the Batu Caves Temple Committee. Can the Police,the Attorney General or the ACA tell the public the outcome of the police reports , if investigated and if not, why not so that the public at large does not have to make any negative conclusions.

Taking Kavadi is of course fulfilling one's vow to Lord Muruga. But do you have to turn it into a carnival and torture the body.It is a complete misrepresentation of Hinduism.It does not call for such punishment.Hinduim calls for the control of the mind and heart .To have good thoughts and do good deeds and submit to God, in this case to Muruga. It must not be forgotten that thousands of non-Hindus visit Batu Caves on this occassion,many of the from foreigners and go away with wrong impressions of Hindus and Hinduism. Can the Temple Committee stop the practice of kavadi carriers piercing the body.It can be controversial, I know, but give it a try for the sake of the religion.
KSN

Jeff,

The pic of the cleansing is arguably your best pic ever. I think they guys over at Lensa Malaysia agree. Absolutely superb. It makes me cry.

JEFF OOI says: Thanks JAM for your kind comment. It was a grab shot as the lady dashed off from the cleansing shower within a short minute, but long enough for me to capture it on camera. When I took the shot, I was saying to myself: "She, like us, must be praying for this lovely country of ours as well." Yes, silent emotion filled my mind when I at looked at the image through the view-finder, and clicked the shutter at that decisive moment. Thanks again JAM.

Great photos,Jeff.A photographer as well.Cheers.

JEFF OOI says: Thanks brother. I am just an amateur photographer but very serious at it. I am hoping to take the pictures and let the photos do the talking.

I was there too was definately an interesting experience.

Was there from about 4am till 9am.

My pics and story are here:

Thaipusam at Batu Caves - 1.5 Million People!

Jeff,

I've been wondering when you were ever going to take a good shot - the cleansing pic - fantaaaaaaaaastic. :-)

Hey Jeff, I absolutely agree with JAM, the pic of the cleansing is DEFINITELY your best pic so far. Owrthy of NG , i'd say. Hell, it looks just like a page out of NG.

Priceless!

That last photo brought so many emotions to a simple jane like me. That was really a REALLY GOOD photo. Pls submit it for some BIGSHOT contest..!

Jeff, Great shots at your first pilgrimage to Batu Caves. What gear did you use to capture those “purifying” moments? This is the 2nd time you touch of the Good defeating Evil. If you recall your quote of:
“I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them”

JEFF OOI says: Simple set-up with just one lens: Nikon D200, Nikkor F/2.8 17-55mm and SB800 flash unit.

During his visit to Batu Caves near here in conjunction with Thaipusam , our pious Samy Vellu defended the “evil doers” in the failed MMR2 flyover by letting them off Scott free even though taxpayers are now left with an inflated Repair bill of RM70 million up from RM20 million for a reported project cost of RM120 million.
So the evil men do sometimes are just a matter of interpretation and they can live with them and not "after" them. He can also “spin” stories on this auspicious day justifying the increase and would allow the “design & build” concept to continue. More details at:
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/02/more-pics-mmr2-repairs-cost-estimated.html

KSN..
I can't agree with you more. As I am not a Hindu, and was never in Batu Caves to feel the atmosphere, your description and my catching of the TV3 news did give me enough to avoid the area because of the traffic.

I have in the past, been involved in the Travel industry, and one of the must see sights that I bring my visitors too is Batu Caves.

Whilst catching up on the 8.00pm news on TV3, I noted that our Minister Samy said that he heard of complaints that people are sayinga bout the RM10 collection.
The said RM5 go to the temple. What about the other RM5? Assuming that 1.3 million people were there and a good, say 300,000 people went up the caves. that would mean 3 milion! So how do you account for it? And he even said, semua mahu free. F&*%$Tg Hell man! Who ever charges money to pray???!
I must be naive to say that but in my time, I don't ever recall paying to go to church, or have my muslim friends ever told me that they pay to go to mosque!
WTF! This brings toll collection to a whole new level!

aa..wanted to post this from my work place..cudnt login to typeKey,
Jeff, the last pic is seriously the best of all! nice shot! it summarizes the whole thing up dude! well done

Hi Jeff...WELL DONE! I am impressed! The first shot I love the expression, timing was spot on! Hello..photogs of The Star please take note :)

The cleansing shot was caught "just in time", decisive moment indeed. I like the water droplets frozen in time, her devotion filled face with water in "cling-wrap" effect...the composition is strengthened by the slightly blurred woman. Exquisite shot indeed!

JEFF OOI says: Thanks you my sifu. I have benefitted from your old blogs (which we are trying to reinstall) that talk about Henri Cartier-Brasson and the concept of 'Decisive Moments'. Thanks again, I have benefitted a lot from you.

Mr jeff..

I met you when we were capturing the first photo. i guess u got the better angle!

great seeing you out in the middle of all these nonsense!

my photoessay is available to viewed here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/freakdiver/sets/72157594491352999/

Comments & criticism welcomed! I'm still new at this! :)

JEFF OOI says: Hi Brother! It was great to see you again on a photo-shoot. Sometimes, we are just plain lucky to get a good angle or a good shot! See you around man!