IT was the day after New Year's Day. I was brooding over the side effects of my booster shot and how I wasted a special day just sleeping away. The gloomy weather didn't help with my dampened spirits.
My dear friend Sean decided a little fresh air would do me good and suggested we walk about a bit around Chinatown, since Chinese New Year was just a month away. We decided to pass by the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on route, wondering if there would be special prayers seeing as Hanuman Jayanthi was happening at Batu Caves.
We both stared at each other with dropped jaws. Lo and behold, before us was Sri Maha Mariamman temple beautifully brightly lit, an unexpected sight for the two of us as we are hardly there on other days. Unlike other celebration days, there wasn't a crowd.
There were pools of water on the street from the bouts of intermittent rain and drizzles of the day. I was drawn to the reflection of the temple's Gopuram, sparkling in a pool of water and I knew that was the scene I wanted to immortalise. Passing vehicles sent ripples in the reflection. While waiting for the ripples to somewhat subside, I was like a delighted little child watching in amazement with thoughts of Hindu mythology coming to life before my very eyes.
Words of W. H. Davies' poem, Leisure, hit home on how the simple joys of life are taken away by the pace of modern life. I finally knew what would be my resolution for 2022... to make time to enjoy what makes me happy. – The Vibes, January 16, 2022
Jo Quah is a freelance photographer
