More than 50 devotees gathered at a Bangsar temple to pray for the safe return of 55 Malaysians missing after devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet.
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 50 devotees gathered at Sri Arulmigu Ramalingeswarar Temple in Bangsar today to pray for the safe return of Malaysians still unaccounted for following last week’s devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet.
The prayer session, organised by Malaysia Hindhudharma Maamandram (HDM), brought together devotees, including families with relatives still missing, for bhajan singing, chanting and prayers for those who died and those whose whereabouts remain unknown.
The gathering came as the government said 55 Malaysians remained unaccounted for following the flash floods, while 77 Malaysians located in the affected areas were being brought to Kathmandu for repatriation.
Devotees lit oil lamps, offered flowers and gathered in a circle for prayers, including Athma Shanthi prayers for the deceased.
HDM president Rishikumar Vadivelu said the prayer gathering was organised within two days as the community remained deeply concerned over the lack of communication from the affected areas.
“Everyone knows what has happened, and many Malaysians are still missing. We are not sure how many are safe or alive.
“Most Malaysian families are hoping their loved ones will return. We are in a situation where there is no communication at all.
“We don’t know whether they have eaten, whether there is electricity, or even how many people have died,” he said.
Rishikumar said the prayers were held on a working day but still attracted a strong turnout, with Hindu leaders and members of the community coming together to show their support.
He said people from Penang and Kedah had also contacted him to express their support and participate in the prayers remotely.
“I am very happy that so many Malaysians have come together to pray for them.
“As Malaysian Hindus, we are here praying for those affected. We pray that they will return home safely.
“We believe good news will definitely come to all the families in Malaysia,” he said.
Rishikumar also expressed concern for Nepalese families who had lived in the country for generations and were now facing uncertainty over their homes and access to basic necessities.
“Many families in Nepal have lived there for three or four generations, and now they are in a situation where they don’t have a house or anything.
“We need to pray for them too. We need to find peace of mind for all of them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sentosa assemblyman Dr Gunarajah R George said the gathering reflected the solidarity of the Malaysian Hindu community during the difficult period.
He thanked HDM for organising the prayers and said the community had come together to pray for the safety of those affected.
“In this difficult time, everyone has gathered together as Hindus and as Malaysians. We hope and pray that they will return safely and come back alive to us,” he said.
Gunarajah also welcomed the government’s efforts, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s approval of a US$1 million contribution towards humanitarian assistance and the deployment of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Nepal.
He called for continued efforts to locate the missing Malaysians and bring them home safely.
“We remain hopeful that the rescue teams will be able to provide assistance and bring those affected back safely,” he said.
The prayer session ended with devotees continuing to pray for the missing, the deceased and their families, as hopes remained that those still unaccounted for would be reunited with their loved ones.
