Ten days of Thai Pusam

[Vinayaka]

Today was the day, pal kavadi for most. Not that many people, (around 20) but we don't advertise. Made for a much longer morning abhishekham. Tonight there is a Dandapani parade, and abhishekham for Dandapani.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

I don't think Thai Pusam is officially scheduled at my local temple. It's a smaller community made up most of Hindus from Fiji, and I'm not sure if they are predominantly of one Indian regional ancestry or not.

Namaste,

In Fiji from Memory the ThaiPusam is largely a Sangam celebration, mostly those South Indian's who visit the Sangam temples celebrate it, i don't know of any Fijian Hindu Sangam temples in Sydney, Sangam organisations have existed in Fiji almost as long as the Arya Samaj & the Fiji Muslim League and have even outlasted the Hindu Maha Sabha.

Fiji Indian organisations - Wikipedia

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste,

In Fiji from Memory the ThaiPusam is largely a Sangam celebration, mostly those South Indian's who visit the Sangam temples celebrate it, i don't know of any Fijian Hindu Sangam temples in Sydney, Sangam organisations have existed in Fiji almost as long as the Arya Samaj & the Fiji Muslim League and have even outlasted the Hindu Maha Sabha.

Fiji Indian organisations - Wikipedia

Yes, we had a Fijian with us us morning. I find it interesting how there are differences in the diaspora. I'm guessing 3 or 4 people who got off that boat some 150 years ago remembered as best they could, and started the traditions anew.

In Mauritius the kavadi colur is pink. Everyone dresses in pink, dresses their kavadis in pink,etc. , and a short kavadi parade is 2 miles with longer ones being up to 10 miles. There is always a starting point and an end point. Nearly everyone pierces, men and women alike, but not necessary. There is no one central location, and there are maybe 50 -60 separate kavadi parades across island.

In Fiji its more likely to be a certain number of pradakshinas around a temple, less piercing, and dressed in yellow. Malaysia is yellow, and often up a hill, like at Penang or Batu Caves. Larger crowds too. Batu Caves is around a million.

Not sure about South Africa, or India for that matter.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In North India, it is a barefoot journey to River Ganges to bring the water (which may involve talking hundreds of miles, not lying down during the travel or putting the water being brought on ground) and pour it on a Shiva lingam in some temple. 'Kavad-Yatra'.

 

[Vinayaka]

I(which may involve talking hundreds of miles,

That's a lot of talking. Elsewhere maunam is the norm.

 

[Vinayaka]

If anyone would like to get a sense of a Kavadi parade in Mauritius, coupled with the fervent devotionals of Murugan bhaktars, here is one excellent video of many. It took me right back!

 

[Aupmanyav]

Thanks, Vinayaka, for the video, great. But I am not one for piercing.

That's a lot of talking.

On a kavad-yatra in North India, there is a lot of talking and slogans shouting. Maunam is not a requirement. Lately even women have joined in.

Here, it is also a show of strength. Delhi/Haridwar route is closed for a month and alternative routes are used.