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More devotees attended the Thaipusam festivities in Singapore on Tuesday compared with last year, after restrictions were eased to allow worshippers to take part in groups of five.
Entry, however, was limited to those who were fully vaccinated.
The festivities began on Monday midnight and ended at 10pm on Tuesday.
Those carrying milk pots entered the temple in a separate queue in groups of two.
While no food was served to visitors at the temple for the second year in a row, devotees exiting after their prayers were greeted by volunteers giving out bento boxes to take home.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was the guest of honour at the festival, arrived at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Tank Road at 8am on Tuesday.
In a first this year, he completed a milk pot offering at the sanctum before speaking to temple staff and frontline workers and volunteers overseeing safe management measures.
About 15,000 devotees visited the temple over the course of the day, including 7,000 who carried milk pot offerings into the temple.
The temple saw about 10,000 visitors last year.
The Straits Times
