Kavady’s a sacred experience
Last Thursday, millions of Hindus around the world observed Thai Poosam Kavady to show their love and devotion to Lord Muruga and this year,
for the first time, reporter LLOYD GOVINDSAMY seized the opportunity to do the same.
This is his experience…
I HAVE no strong attachment to any particular religion but I will admit there is a lot in every religion that fascinates me.
I was taught that Hinduism teaches peace and that life is the most precious gift given to us (human beings) and, from my own understanding, a lot of it is based on astrology.
After following a vegetarian diet from the time of the initial prayer, which is seen as the cleansing of one’s body, I was ready for the day.
That morning, I woke up early and my brother Karl, a close family friend Selvan Naicker (whom I affectionately refer to as Uncle Putchy) and his mother Velliamah helped me decorate my first kavady with marigolds and syringa berry leaves.
We also had to get three types of fruit, a coconut and milk. All these are essential elements for the prayer.
Carrying the kavady symbolises the carrying of the devotee’s burden and laying it down before Lord Muruga, who will then take charge of the person’s life.
I had seen other devotees carrying the kavady and after learning more about the significance of this, I felt it necessary to participate in the day of prayer.
As the devotees gathered at the Mount Edgecombe Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple at about 6pm, many could not resist the variety of vegetarian cuisine and flavoured milk offered by other devotees.
When the prayer started an hour later the atmosphere was electrifying and the air was filled with the scent of incense, and camphor and the sound of devotional music.
For some, the music was so powerful that it moved them into a state of divine spirituality.
Those who embodied that spark of Godliness then blessed other devotees.
I then proceeded to walk to the nearby Shree Ganesha Temple with the other devotees to conclude our prayer.
During the walk, my kavady rested firmly on my shoulder.
Neither the cold, nor the heavy rain was enough to deter those, who vowed to prove their faith to God and so soldiered on singing and chanting words of praise to Lord Muruga.
At the Ganesha Temple I offered the milk and fruit to Lord Muruga and thanked Him for the gift of life.
For me, the most interesting part of the prayer was the breaking of the coconut, which is said to symbolise the crushing and destroying of one’s ego.
Even though I never took part in this prayer before, it is always my most anticipated time of the year due to the exhilarating atmosphere and I surely cannot wait for the next one.