Mahadev Shankar J:

The Thaipusam festival held every year at Batu Caves is a world famous event. It is focussed on the shrine of Lord Murugan which was inaugurated there in 1891.

That shrine today is renowned as the Subramaniar Temple Batu Caves (hereafter referred to as the Temple). This year the Thaipusam festival will be celebrated at the Temple on 5 and 6 February. If the previous attendances are anything to go by, nearly three quarters of a million people will converge on the Temple tomorrow.

The plaintiff filed this action and applied for an interim injunction that the festival be stopped. Last week I dismissed this application and struck out this action. Today I shall say why.

In the statement of claim the plaintiff is styled as a Yogi and a Spiritualist. Annexed to his affidavit-insupport of this application is a very colourful leaflet in which he describes himself as Malaysia Athinam 293 Gurumaha Sannithaanam Thavathiru Athmananantha Adigalaar. He claims that he was so appointed by the 292nd Guru Maha Sannithanam who is the spiritual head of the Mathurai Athinam South India at an investiture ceremony held on 22 February 1987 at the Athmanantha Guru Kulam at Ja