The Greenwood Park Shree Ranganathar Temple Society will host this year’s Kavady festival from Thursday 26 January to Saturday 4 February.
The prayer will conclude on Monday 6 February with a Shree Edumban prayer. The festival will commence with flag hoisting on Thursday 26 January at 5pm and continue daily for 10 days with the main day on Saturday 4 February at 9am while prayer service on weekdays will be held at 6pm and weekends at 10.30 am.
Kavady is one of the biggest festivals in the South Indian Calendar in South Africa. The Thai Poosam Kavady Festival is observed during the tenth month of the Tamil calendar, Thai (January /February). It is believed that on this day the full moon is in transit through the brightest star known as the Poosam in the zodiac sign of Cancer and the planet Guru is said to be the presiding deity. Since the festival occurs in the month of Thai and on the day when the full moon passes through the star Poosam this event is called Thai Poosam.
Kavady is a Tamil word meaning beam or rod with weights suspended on both ends. The Kavady is carried in a religious procession and also has a pole with a semi circular arch and is decorated. The loads attached to the ends of the pole are brass vessels filled with milk and a peacock feather with a Vel is also attached. The Kavady is symbolic of a balance in life as the weight of the Kavady is balanced on the beam, life is also a matter of balance.
Maintenance of discipline, love and devotion towards God in order to offset the mighty weight of evil and vice. “There are various reasons for carrying Kavady but the two main reasons why devotees carry Kavady are firstly to express thanks to Lord Muruga or to ask Lord Muruga for help in overcoming a particular problem,” said Devotee Ashlin Ellan. He added: “When devotees undertake the Kavady fast they go through penance and become spiritually charged and uplifted to carry their Kavady. Devotees perform this fast in various ways whereby devotees abstain from any meat dishes, alcohol or drug consumption.
“Some give up the intake of meals with salt, many restrict themselves to one meal a day which is prepared by the temple, Devotees practice celibacy during this period and some even give up the pleasure of their bed to sleep on the floor. The fasting period of Kavady is beneficial to a devotees soul as it helps the devotee become spiritually awaked and attain the atonement at the lotus feet of Lord Muruga, it develops your spiritual connection to god and helps you to control your desires and temptations, it is a manner of self discipline.” Devotees wishing to participate in this prayer and make bookings to carry Kavady or Paal Kudam are kindly requested to contact the temple office on 031 563 3232.
