It was an interesting morning today(23-01-08) as after almost 12 years being away from Thaipusam, I decided to go and witness it for prayers and photography. And why not since it is a Holiday- thanks to our beloved PM for declaring Kuala Lumpur And Putrajaya as public holday. I was amazed at the crowd of devotees, the kavadi bearers, people pierced with hooks, the drum beaters, curious onlookers and tourist alike at Batu Caves. They were all there to see the ever colourful, ever mysterious and ever enchanting festival of Thaipusam. Most of them were there either to fulfill their vows or just being there since it is a holdiay or just want to be part of it but very few Malaysians know the reasons behind the celebrations. We get excited because it is a holiday. Have you ever wondered why it is celebrated? So for the ignorant few read on to know the reasons behind Thaipusam celebrations.
Thaipusam -A festival occurring in the Tamil month Thai (January-February), the day of the star Pusam around Pournami (Full Moon) is celebrated as Thai Pusam. It is a special day for worship of Lord Muruga (also known as Subrahmanya or Thendayuthapani) and is celebrated in a very grand manner at all Murugan temples, especially at the 'Aaru Padai Veedu' of Murugan (These are six temples in India especially dedicated to Lord Muruga). This festival honours Muruga or Subramanya, the son of Shiva. There are several legends about this festival. Here are a few of them:
The Legend - A rich legend lies behind the origins of Thaipusam. Popular narration goes that the great Saint, Agasthya, instructed his student, Idumban to uproot two hills called Sivagiri and Shakthigiri belonging to Lord Murugan and bring it back to him. As commanded, Idumban flew to Mount Kailai Range where the hills rested and picked them up ready to fly back. But alas, Lord Murugan had other plans. He wanted to test Idumban’s mettle and devotion to his master. He reduced his size, to that of a small child and promptly stood atop one of the hills. Suddenly Idumban found that he couldn’t carry the hills anymore. To his bewilderment, a child was standing haughtily on the hill. Idumban humbly requested the boy to get down. When the child refused, Idumban flew into a rage and tried to attack him, only to find himself falling like an injured bird. Lord Murugan then reverted to his original self and appeared before Idumban. "I am pleased with your courage and determination," he said. "Your devotion to your guru is admirable. I now bestow on you the honor of being my guardian" Lord Murugan then proclaimed that henceforth, those who carried kavadis to see him, would receive his blessings. Today, thousands of Hindus carry kavadis as offerings to the Lord during Thaipusam. The kavadis symbolize the hills of burden that Idumban shouldered.The other version was a demon named Tharakasuran who was troubling the Rishis and Saints. Lord Muruga was called by his parents Lord Shiva and Parvati and given the job of destroying the asuran. Lord Muruga set off with the blessings of his parents, to destroy the demon. He carried twelve weapons, eleven of which were given by his father Lord Shiva and the 'Vel' given by his mother Parvati. Lord Muruga destroyed Tharakasuran on the Pusam Nakshatra day in the Tamil month of Thai and hence Thai Pusam is celebrated in all Murugan temples.In another legend, that on a Thursday in Thai that also happened to be the day of Pusam star and pournami, Shiva and Parvati were engaged in an ecstatic cosmic dance, as Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and the Devas watched. This indicates that this is a day ideal for worship of Shiva.According to another legend, as Shiva was imparting a mantra to Parvati, Subrahmanya eavesdropped on them. For that error, Parvati laid a curse on him, in line with the rule that even a son, if erring, must be punished. To be redeemed from her curse, Subrahmanya offered hard penance at Thirupparankundram. Pleased with his penance, Shiva and Parvati manifested before him and lifted the curse. The day on which Parvati's curse on Subrahmanya was lifted was a Thai Pusam. It is thus a special day for worship of Lord Subrahmanya. Yet another legend has it that Kaveri, grieving that she had not secured the eminence acquired by Ganga through her position atop Shiva's locks, sat under a peepul tree on the banks of Sara Pushkarini and offered penance to Narayana. Pleased by her penance, Narayana appeared as a baby in her lap. That day when he manifested thus was, again, a Thai Pusam.No matter what the legend, the rites that are followed are fairly similar. On Thaipusam day, devotees make offerings to Lord Muruga for eradicating the ills that afflict us. Perhaps the most potent propitiatory rite that a devotee of Shanmukha undertakes to perform is what is known as the Kavadi. The benefits that the devotee gains from offering a Kavadi to the Lord are a million-fold greater than the little pain that he inflicts upon himself.
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Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Significance Of Kavadi
The Kavadi - Generally, people take a vow to offer the Lord a Kavadi for the sake of tiding over a great calamity. Though this might, on the face of it, appear a little mercenary, a moment's reflection will reveal that it contains in it the seed of supreme love of God. The worldly object is achieved, no doubt, and the devotee takes the Kavadi; but after the ceremony he gets so God-intoxicated that his inner spiritual being gets awakened. This is also a method that ultimately leads to the supreme state of devotion.
The Kavadi has various shapes and sizes, from the simple shape of a hawker's storehouse (a wooden stick with two baskets at each end, slung across the shoulder) to the costly palanquin structure, profusely flower-bedecked and decoratively interwoven with peacock feathers. In all cases the Kavadi has a good many brass bells adorning it and announcing it as the Kavadi-bearer draws it along. As the Kavadi-bearer very often observes silence, the bells are the only eloquent signs of a Kavadi procession.
The two baskets hanging at each end of the Kavadi contain rice, milk or other articles that the devotee has vowed to offer the Lord. The more devout among them, and especially those who do it as a Sadhana, collect these articles by begging. They travel on foot from village to village, and beg from door to door. The villagers offer their articles directly into the basket of the Kavadi. The Kavadi-bearer continues begging until the baskets are full or the avowed quantity is reached, and then offers the Kavadi to the Lord.
Some keen devotees undertake to walk barefoot from home to one of the shrines of Lord Subramanya, bearing the Kavadi all the way and collecting materials for the offering. They have to walk a hundred miles sometimes! The people who place the articles in the baskets also receive the Lord's blessings.
The Kavadi-bearer is required to observe various rules between the time he takes up the Kavadi, and the day of the offering. He has to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the Kavadi, and at the time of offering it to the Lord. He also puts on the dress of a Pandaram, a Saivite mendicant. It consists of a saffron-coloured cloth, a conical scarlet cap, and a cane, silver-capped at both ends. Lord Siva, the Supreme Pandaram Himself, loves to wear this dress. The Pandaram lives on alms only. The bare chest of the Kavadi-bearer is covered with several rudraksha malas.
The Kavadi-bearer observes strict celibacy. Only pure, Sattwic food is taken; he abstains from all sorts of intoxicating drinks and drugs. He thinks of God all the time. Many of the Kavadi-bearers, especially those who do it as a spiritual Sadhana, impose various forms of self-torture. Some pass a sharp little spear through their tongue, which is made to protrude out of the mouth. Others may pass a spear through the cheek. This sort of piercing is done in other parts of the body also. The bearer does not shave; he grows a beard. He eats only once a day. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheek reminds him of the Lord constantly. It also prevents him from speaking. It gives him great power of endurance.
The Kavadi-bearer enjoys a high state of religious fervour. He dances in ecstasy. His very appearance is awe-inspiring; there is divine radiance on his face. Devotees often experience the state of feeling united with the Lord. Sometimes the Lord enters them and possesses them for some time. Seeing Is Believing.
The Kavadi has various shapes and sizes, from the simple shape of a hawker's storehouse (a wooden stick with two baskets at each end, slung across the shoulder) to the costly palanquin structure, profusely flower-bedecked and decoratively interwoven with peacock feathers. In all cases the Kavadi has a good many brass bells adorning it and announcing it as the Kavadi-bearer draws it along. As the Kavadi-bearer very often observes silence, the bells are the only eloquent signs of a Kavadi procession.
The two baskets hanging at each end of the Kavadi contain rice, milk or other articles that the devotee has vowed to offer the Lord. The more devout among them, and especially those who do it as a Sadhana, collect these articles by begging. They travel on foot from village to village, and beg from door to door. The villagers offer their articles directly into the basket of the Kavadi. The Kavadi-bearer continues begging until the baskets are full or the avowed quantity is reached, and then offers the Kavadi to the Lord.
Some keen devotees undertake to walk barefoot from home to one of the shrines of Lord Subramanya, bearing the Kavadi all the way and collecting materials for the offering. They have to walk a hundred miles sometimes! The people who place the articles in the baskets also receive the Lord's blessings.
The Kavadi-bearer is required to observe various rules between the time he takes up the Kavadi, and the day of the offering. He has to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the Kavadi, and at the time of offering it to the Lord. He also puts on the dress of a Pandaram, a Saivite mendicant. It consists of a saffron-coloured cloth, a conical scarlet cap, and a cane, silver-capped at both ends. Lord Siva, the Supreme Pandaram Himself, loves to wear this dress. The Pandaram lives on alms only. The bare chest of the Kavadi-bearer is covered with several rudraksha malas.
The Kavadi-bearer observes strict celibacy. Only pure, Sattwic food is taken; he abstains from all sorts of intoxicating drinks and drugs. He thinks of God all the time. Many of the Kavadi-bearers, especially those who do it as a spiritual Sadhana, impose various forms of self-torture. Some pass a sharp little spear through their tongue, which is made to protrude out of the mouth. Others may pass a spear through the cheek. This sort of piercing is done in other parts of the body also. The bearer does not shave; he grows a beard. He eats only once a day. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheek reminds him of the Lord constantly. It also prevents him from speaking. It gives him great power of endurance.
The Kavadi-bearer enjoys a high state of religious fervour. He dances in ecstasy. His very appearance is awe-inspiring; there is divine radiance on his face. Devotees often experience the state of feeling united with the Lord. Sometimes the Lord enters them and possesses them for some time. Seeing Is Believing.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Being Rich Towards God.. Schindler's List Visited
I finished watching a movie last night; one that I didn’t enjoy or want to watch, but knew I needed to see. It only took me 14 years to watch Schindler’s List (1993) and I couldn’t watch it all in one sitting because it was a hard film to view and process.
You’ve probably seen Schindler’s List already; the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman in Poland who learns to make money after the Nazis rise to power by running a factory and using bribes to win military contracts. Initially using free labour from imprisoned Jews to run his factory he develops a conscience after seeing what the Nazis are doing to the Jews in Krakow. Eventually he spends his vast fortune to rescue 1,100 of his workers from almost certain death.
Numerous times I had seen a clip from the end of the film showing Schindler expressing remorse that he didn’t make further sacrifices to save more people, but I didn’t know the context. In the scene, at the end of the war and as Schindler and his wife are preparing to leave, he laments not sacrificing more, like selling his car and his gold pin to buy more people while his accountant and friend Itzhak Stern tries to console him saying that he has done so much and saved generations of families. Earlier Schindler stated that he had more money than any man could spend in a lifetime. Yet in the days to come he would spend all of it on bribes to German officers to keep his workers out of the concentration camps and in his factory while meeting their needs for survival.
And so I wonder; if I was in Schindler’s position would I have spent my fortune to save as many people as I could? Would I feel joy over those who were saved or saddened by those who had been murdered? What circumstances would lead me to take that kind of action today? What is a person worth? Are there ways to use my money, time and possessions to help people who cannot help themselves? What would motivate a person to sacrifice at that level? Where does that kind of courage and conviction come from? What good is wealth if people are dying around me and I am able to do something about it?
I am reminded of a story that Jesus Christ told about a prosperous man who stored up his wealth for himself and was not “rich towards God”. What does it mean to be rich toward God? Why do I have so much? Does all that I have in life ultimately come from God? If so, does God expect something from me as a result? Although Oskar Schindler was not a particularly religious man it seems to me that he was “rich towards God” because of the way he valued people and gave his wealth to save them. How can we be rich towards God?
You’ve probably seen Schindler’s List already; the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman in Poland who learns to make money after the Nazis rise to power by running a factory and using bribes to win military contracts. Initially using free labour from imprisoned Jews to run his factory he develops a conscience after seeing what the Nazis are doing to the Jews in Krakow. Eventually he spends his vast fortune to rescue 1,100 of his workers from almost certain death.
Numerous times I had seen a clip from the end of the film showing Schindler expressing remorse that he didn’t make further sacrifices to save more people, but I didn’t know the context. In the scene, at the end of the war and as Schindler and his wife are preparing to leave, he laments not sacrificing more, like selling his car and his gold pin to buy more people while his accountant and friend Itzhak Stern tries to console him saying that he has done so much and saved generations of families. Earlier Schindler stated that he had more money than any man could spend in a lifetime. Yet in the days to come he would spend all of it on bribes to German officers to keep his workers out of the concentration camps and in his factory while meeting their needs for survival.
And so I wonder; if I was in Schindler’s position would I have spent my fortune to save as many people as I could? Would I feel joy over those who were saved or saddened by those who had been murdered? What circumstances would lead me to take that kind of action today? What is a person worth? Are there ways to use my money, time and possessions to help people who cannot help themselves? What would motivate a person to sacrifice at that level? Where does that kind of courage and conviction come from? What good is wealth if people are dying around me and I am able to do something about it?
I am reminded of a story that Jesus Christ told about a prosperous man who stored up his wealth for himself and was not “rich towards God”. What does it mean to be rich toward God? Why do I have so much? Does all that I have in life ultimately come from God? If so, does God expect something from me as a result? Although Oskar Schindler was not a particularly religious man it seems to me that he was “rich towards God” because of the way he valued people and gave his wealth to save them. How can we be rich towards God?
Friday, January 4, 2008
To Do Or Not To Do.....
The recent resignation of Dr Chua the Health Minister Of Malaysia drew a lot of attention among Malaysians in general. Interesting enough it was a topic of discussion at coffeeshops and every where else in this world. I happen to eavesdrop a conversation among some people at a Mamak Shop around my office area where a bloke who looked like a cross between Samy and Pathma was heard saying, " That fellow so stupid..lah. Already a Minister still want to do it openly in public. Surely people will know wan man. Buy..lah a condominium and keep your 'keeps' there. No body will know man. BIG MISTAKE MAN! BIG MISTAKE! " Another interjected him and said he (Dr Chua) always promoted good health, exercise and physical activity. Hmm.. physical activity! I guess the physical activity just went too far and brought his downfall. They say behind every successful man there is a woman but behind every downfall there is also a woman. Well one thing Dr Chua and all Malaysians learnt from this incident is that HONESTY DOESN"T PAY. In Polictics you must know how to play your cards smart.
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