Malaccan version of Thaipusam

#Masimagam a Hindu festival in #Melaka is celebrated by the annual pilgrimage walk with the chariot procession from the oldest Hindu temple in the country Sri #Poyyatha #Vinayagar Moorthi Temple in Jalan Tukang Emas to take part in a procession to the Arulmigu Sanasimalai Andavar Temple in Krubong. During the Masimagam festival Hindu devotees from all over Malaysia will make a pilgrimage to Sannasimalai Andavar Temple Batu Berendam Cheng. Most of them are completing a vow made to Lord Murugan (#sannasimalai #aandavar )requesting his spiritual blessings for achieving good wealth health and happiness. The two day long festival will begin with the spiritual journey of a silver chariot bears the statue of sannasimalai aandavar adorned with flowers fruits, and adornment.The silver chariot of Lord Murugan makes it’s way through the streets heading towards #Cheng-Krubong at the time silver chariot gets the attention of the devotes due its well detailed craftsmanship. In this chariot we could see the beautiful wooden #gandharavas at the top edges and the base of the chariot is surrounded by four gaurdian maids with the #chawar.

On February 16 th (today) the journey had started from Malacca’s oldest Hindu temple Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple in #Jalan #Tokong.

This was a 9km long procession will be trailed behind by frenzied barefoot devotees, some breaking coconuts, others carrying #pal_kudam (milk container) on their heads as a sign of gratitude and some of the devotees performing #kavadi to earn blessings for good wealth, health and happiness. The next day evening (February 17th )the procession comes to an end by silver chariot returns to Jalan Tokong. 

Pc&vc: Priya Dharshini akka 

--Ramu.Rm.N

Penang silverchariot and thaipusam

In Malaysia Thaipusam is a three-day celebration which is annually falls in January or February, Thaipusam often coincides with Chinese New Year celebration.The Thaipusam tradition was brought to east asian countries through the tamil diaspora during the late 18th century. Thaipusam celebration in Malaysia is not only celebrated by the tamils but also participated by other races, notably the Chinese. Ethnic Chinese kavadi bearers often turn heads at penang and battu caves Thaipusam celebration.

Penang Thaipusam is truly a little more unique than the rest. Penang nattukottai chettair temple holds the first silver in Malaysia. And he is the first thandayuthapani in southeast asian countries this temple was built during 1850's .  Penang thandayuthapani temples old wooden chariot has been still in use at #Indonesia medan thandayuthapani temple we could see this chariot during thaipusam .This silver chariot starts its first journey on January 1894 in Penang.

This silver chariot was made by tamil craftsman's from chettinad region at late 19 th century in karaikudi. The entire silver chariot was shipped to penang in "#SSRona". The chariot is still in good condition without any manjor repairs till date. The chariot came with some additional spare  parts , four  wheels , and nozzles. During 1994 the chariot had replaced with  the new wheels . It is also worth noting that the old wheels have been in use for 99 years.  

The height of the entire silver chariot is  25 feet and its diameter is 10 feet. Except the wheels and the gear region ( base ) whole chariot was made of heavy gauge pure silver sheets. At the base of the silver chariot they had shown a well detailed miniature panels of shiva forms,murugan, yali and astagajas . In the first deck they shown eight colorful gantharvas with garlands which represent the eight directions. In the base of the silver chariot we could see four colourful wooden guardians maids with chowri.Till date no more major repairs have been happened for over a century. This shows the stability and the workmanship excellence of the Tamil artisans. 

On the eve of Thaipusam ( Punar Pusam ) devotees from the Penang Chettiar community take the kavadis and chariot procession begins from the Lebuh Penang Kovil Veedu temple where the procession Deity hails and it ends at NattukottaI Chettiar temple, at Jalan Air Terjun which is locally Known as the Chetti Pusam, this procession is unusual as the Chettiar Indians carry peacock kavadis and they avoid body piercing and other pain-defying rituals. During this chariot procession we could see Chinese devotees approaching the chariots with offerings and smashing The same rituals as the first day (eve of Thaipusam) happen along the route of the procession.from the Chinese community has a belief  behind coconut breaking ceremony. They think that the more coconuts they break the more lucks are showered onto them.  They break thousands of coconuts every year which ultimately streets were covered with coconuts. As per Hindu devotees smash coconuts on the roads to symbolise

the breaking of one's ego to reveal purity inside.

The silver chariot adorned with colored lights is a spectacular sight that travels through the city of Penang all night long   which gives more attraction towrds the people and this chariot procession comes to an end at the late night.  The next day morning Thaipusam will be celebrated in a grand manner at  pnnt temple with MILK ABISHEGAM, MAHA ABHISHEGAM, MAHESWARA POOJAI and followed by annathanam. On the third day evening the return journey of the chariot towards Kovil veetu starts comes to an end at the early morning. Every year silver chariot procession covers 14 kms up and down  this silverchariot is consider as pride of penang.

-- Ramu.Rm.N

musical instruments

Thirukurugudi NINDRA NAMBI PERUMAL Temple is 45 km from Tirunelveli, TamilNadu is one of the 108 Divya desam (Vaishnavite - Hindu temples that are sacred for Lord Vishnu) and most exquisitely carved temples of Tamilnadu is known for its architecture and sculpture works were done by Vijayanagar Nayak rulers (15th-16th century CE) relief sculptures from #Thirukurunkudi temple raja gopuram Ceiling has various massive entrance door ways of the temple which has amazing art work but many used miss to view them here in this we could see the #upachram towords lakshmi.

In this we could see that group of womens were shown one holds the #umbrella and other holds the #chawar. A couple womens were shown like chorus of shrill sounds made by women by wagging the tongue. The group mens  playing the regional musical #instruments in the order #sangu, #thudi, #oodal, #segandi, #suthamathalam, #thalam, #kombu and #ekkalam. Still in some temple ritual procession we could the musical instruments were played according to the region the name might get varied slightly .

இருபுரத்திலும் திருமகளை நோக்கி பட்டத்து யானையைப் பின் தொடர்ந்து உபசாரமாக பெண்கள் வெண்கொற்றைக் குடை பிடித்து 

சாமரம் வீச இருவர் குலவையிட இவர்களை தொடர்ந்து ஆண்கள் இசைக்கருவிகளோடு ஒருவர் பின் ஒருவராய் நிற்க சங்கு, துடி, ஊடல், சேகண்டி, சுத்தமத்தளம், தாளம், கொம்பு மற்றும் எக்காளம் ஆகிய வாத்திய கருவிகள் ஒருவர் பின் ஒருவராக நின்ற நிலையில் கலை நயமும் கற்பனை வளமும் கொண்டு கல்லிலே சிற்பியின் கைவண்ணக் காட்சியை திருக்குறுங்குடி நம்பி கோயிலின் கோபுரத்தில் உட்புறத்தில் காணலாம்.

திருமழை தலைஇய இருள் நிற விசும்பின்

விண் அதிர் இமிழ் இசை கடுப்ப, பண் அமைத்து

திண் வார் விசித்த #முழவொடு, ஆகுளி,

நுண் உருக்கு உற்ற விளங்கு அடர்ப் #பாண்டில்,

மின் இரும் பீலி அணித் தழைக் #கோட்டொடு, 

கண் இடை விடுத்த களிற்று உயிர்த் து¡ம் பின்,

இளிப் பயிர் இமிரும் குறும் பரம் #தும்பொடு,

விளிப்பது கவரும் தீம் #குழல் துதைஇ,

நடுவு நின்று இசைக்கும் #அரிக் குரல் #தட்டை,

கடி கவர்பு ஒலிக்கும் வல் வாய் #எல்லரி, 

நொடி தரு பாணிய #பதலையும், பிறவும்,

கார்கோட் பலவின் காய்த்துணர் கடுப்ப,

நேர்சீர் சுருக்கிக் காய கலப்பையிர்.

(#மலைபடுகடாம் 1-13)

You who carry your musical instruments on balancing

poles have packed them in draw-string bags that look like

monsoon season’s ripe jackfruit clusters, a mulavu drum

with sturdy, tight straps that creates roaring sounds like

the sky-shattering noises from beautiful clouds in the dark

sky that give prosperity with rains, an ākuli drum, bright

cymbals with intricate designs made from melted and flattened

metal, a kōdu horn decorated with bright, dark hued

peacock feathers, sweet-music creating splendid small

thoompu horn along with a long thoompu horn that sounds like

the hollow, breathing trunk that hangs between the eyes of an

elephant, sweet flute that sounds like the ili string of the yāzh,

thattai with croaking sounds of frogs played in the middle,

strong-mouthed ellari drum played to beat, a pathalai drum

that gives perfect beat, and other musical instruments!

--- Ramu.Rm.N

elephants now & then

#Elephants occupy a special place in the life and art of India.As elephants are known for their intelligence and smartness. Their legendary attributes of strength, intelligence, smartness, nobility and longevity are eulogized in myth, epic and popular literature. In the figural and decorative arts, elephants provide an enduring fascination. At centuries-old temples, monastries, forts and palaces, elephants flank ceremonial entrances, enrich columns and capitals, form balustrades to stairways or stand as enigmatic sentinels of vast courtyards. Here in this we could see a #hosaylsa period relif sculpture in the pillars of  #srirangam #ranganathar temple at tamilnadu. In this we could notice the well decorated tusker is trying to shows amazing strength by breaking the branch of the tree.

In this collage we could see the similar scenarios of Asian elephant and African elephant. A snapshot from the IFS Officer Susanta Nanda's short clipping of a indian tusker stretching up for plucking a #jackfruit from a 25-feet tall tree in #Silent_Valley National Park of Palakkad District in the state of #Kerala which was quite viral during 2019.

In the other hand we could see the
#Inventive African elephant Teetering on its two feet to reach a tasty meal high up in the trees, the hungry beast backed up onto his hind legs before stretching out his long trunk and tearing down some of his favourite acacia leaves to snack on in South #Luangwa National Park, #Zambia.

#Ramu.Rm.N