Kavadi Festival in Chennai
The Kavadi Festival in Chennai is celebrated at all places where the sacred God Muruga is worshipped. The devotees of Lord Muruga take the penance to fulfil their vows made to their beloved God after a hard time had been overcome by the devotee with the blessings of the God. The Kavadi Festival is one of the important festivals in Chennai revealing a slice of the Tamil rituals and culture.
The main highlight of the kavadi Festival involves carrying of the ‘kavadi’ by the devotee to the temple of the Lord Muruga situated in the Palani Hills. The carrying of the kavadi had its origins in the Hindu Mythology according to which Idumban carried two sacred hillocks laced on his two shoulders, balanced on two ends of a pole. The journey to the Temple is filled with dances and song dedicated to the Lord Muruga. The dances are performed mainly by men devotees.
The Kavadi Festival is celebrated with grandeur at all the shrines of Lord Muruga. The most well known among them is the one that takes place at Palani Thaipusam at the Periyanayaki Temple.
Features of Kavadi Festival in Chennai
- The Kavadi forms the main attraction of the Kavadi Festival. The shape and size varies from being a simple one like two baskets hanging on either side of a pole or an elaborately decorated palanquin. The Kavadis are adorned with saffron cloth, flowers, peacock feathers and brass bells.
- The kavadi baskets contain the offerings to the Lord Muruga. The goodies consist of rice, milk, coconuts, fruits, sweets and even goats and cocks. The Kavadi bearer who follows his sacred vow as a meditation actually begs from door to door to collect the Kavadi offerings.
- The kavadi bearer is supposed to follow certain rules during the Kavadi Festival. The Kavadi bearer wears a special dress called the ‘pandaram’ and abstain himself from taking any intoxicating things. He observes a pure life and devotes all his time in remembering Lord Muruga.
- The Agni Kavadi is considered the most difficult offering made to Lord Muruga. According to the custom the devotees of Lord Muruga walk over pits of burning coal accompanied by hymns chanted by others. This is the supreme form of penance that the Kavadi bearer happily undertakes for his beloved God.
- Among the major attractions of the Kavadi Festival, what catch the eye are the sewed up lips of the devotees with mini silver lances or locking up the mouth with metal rings. The rituals may be painful but reveals the devotees loyalty and love to the God.
