THAIPUSAM: HOW HINDUS ARE GETTING IT WRONG (PART 2)

If you haven't read Part 1, read it here: Thaipusam: How Hindus are getting it wrong (Part1)

The practice of carrying kavadi spread to every Lord Murugan's temple in the world - to Malaysia too.

Tourists flock to Malaysia to watch the extraordinary event each year, particularly Batu Caves, a Murugan temple situated in Malaysia's capital city.

Bearing the kavadi has taken an outlandish form in Malaysia and it has gotten creative. Devotees torture themselves - they wear shoes embedded with nails, and tread/climb to get to the Lord Muruga idol in the cavern temple. Others scurry on fire embers bed, pierce miniature 'vels' (Lord Muruga's weapon) on tongue and across the right and left cheeks. Others include piercing of hooks on the front and back of the body connected to the metal frame of the kavadi. Some pierce dozens of hooks on their back and front. People would pull on the hooks pierced at the back of a devotee while he resists the pulling force. Still some, pierce hooks together with lime which accords a burning sensation - elevating the level of pain. 

The sight is not for faint hearts - almost all kavadi bearers will be in a stupor, a semi conscious state.

Newfangled kavadis in Malaysia include showcasing their favourite football teams like Manchester United and Arsenal, the symbols of associations, favourite actors like Rajinikanth and Vijay and other bizarre deco.

That is how Hindus are getting Thaipusam wrong, at least in Malaysia.

If you go back to yesteryears, in India, devotees had to scale the hill leading to the temple of Muruga situated on top of the hill. Prior to the construction of stairs leading to the temple, it took days for devotees to hike to get to the temple. And the bundles in their kavadis consisted of milk and prayer items for Lord Muruga besides their own necessities like food and clothing. The hardship they face during the journey is said to lessen their sins. They don't inflict pain on themselves - they simply endured nature's elements to pay their worship to Lord Muruga.

Lord Muruga's devotees at the foot of the Palani hill. Lord Muruga's temple is situated atop the hill and devotees engage in the arduous task of scaling the mountain to get to the temple and receive the blessings of Aandi Appan (ascetic father) a name accorded to the loincloth clad Lord Muruga.

Down the years, somehow, the devotees of Lord Muruga came up with an idea that the more they torture themselves physically, the more Lord Muruga would bless them - it has become a competition of sorts and hypocritical. It has become a show of masochism and devotees has turned into masochists, devotion turned into a contest as devotees try to outdo each other.

And then there are guys who show their bravado on Thaipusam day in Malaysia - getting inebriated and then pick fights and behave wayward.

But, everyone is quick to point their fingers on women who show some skin when they go to Thaipusam. That is the only thing that degenerates Indian or Hindu culture in the eyes of some.

I've seen some girls showing some skin in Thaipusam, but not to this extreme. And, the fact that the ladies above are Indian actresses like Rani Mukherjee, Katrina Kaif and Trisha, it further paints a picture of exaggeration. 

If you rewind 200 years back in India, this is nothing - if you go to temples in India, statues of female idols there are half naked. The idea behind this forgotten custom is for men to control their sexual desire around women, fully covered or otherwise. You go to Thaipusam to pray, so why do your eyes wander around and why do you let salacious thoughts enter your mind? Just focus on your prayers. Take the ladies' appeal as a test of your faith Our great grandmothers didn't wear saree jackets in their time. Guess in those days, Indian men were more chivalrous.

Countering the picture above:

Yes, Thaipusam isn't a fashion show.

Its not a carnival either, so no more flashy wigs guys.

Its not a concert so no more noisy horns guys.

Its not a battle ground so no more fights guys.

It's not a bar so no more booze guys.

A lot of things need to be changed; we have deviated from the tenets of Thaipusam in numerous ways. 

Easier to blame the dressing of women though. Convenient exoneration.

Happy Thaipusam 2014!

Related articles:

• Hinduism, the most tolerant religion
• Hindu Association: No more Manchester United emblem bearing kavadis on Thaipusam
• The truth about Dharma (The righteous path)

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