KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, February 2, 2025 ( Yahoo News): Coconuts are a must-have in almost all Hindu rituals as they are considered harbingers of auspicious beginnings. For devotees, breaking coconuts marks a symbolic surrendering of one’s ego at God’s feet. But times are changing and today, sustainability has become the operative word due to supply shortages. Malaysia Council of Hindu Temples and Hindu Associations president Datuk N. Sivakumar said there are some 4,000 Hindu temples nationwide and that even small to medium-sized ones can use up to 1,000 coconuts a month for various rituals ranging for major festivals like Pongal, the Tamil New Year, and Deepavali. “While the exact number of coconuts used can vary by size and the volume of devotees, larger temples typically use up to 15,000 coconuts per month and small-to-medium-sized temples may use around 1,000 coconuts per month,” he told Malay Mail when contacted recently.

Sivakumar said that recently temples are feeling the strain of the ongoing shortage of coconuts in the country, and have been scrambling to find alternative suppliers to secure a steady supply for their rituals. The shortage also means the prices of coconuts have been on an upward trajectory. In December 2024, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority said the average price of mature coconuts in peninsular Malaysia was between US$0.49 and $0.66 per fruit. Muniswaran Samudram who runs a coconut plantation in Bagan Datuk, Perak, said some temples in the state had not been able to get enough coconuts for prayers last December and or for New Year’s Day. Recently, he had to decline an order for 10,000 coconuts because the customer could not afford the rising price. “Last year, I supplied around 15,000 coconuts for Thaipusam and some 20,000 coconuts during the previous year. Normally, clients will look for smaller coconuts for temple worship purposes, which we sell for about 27 to 29 cents. “But now, we are buying the same fruit for over 49 cents and we have to sell it for over 67 cents. Some devotees find it costly.

More at source.
https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/smashing-coconuts-thaipusam-rituals-change-230000983.html

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