Couple working round the clock to meet kavadi orders for Thaipusam
GEORGE TOWN: With only three days to Thaipusam, utmost on the minds of most Tamil people now will be the kavadi, which is basically a “physical” burden” made of elaborate framework of steel rods, plywood and other decoration, for them to carry with pots of milk as a ceremonial sacrifice and offering to Lord Muruga.
Kavadi in Tamil means carrying weight on shoulder. This offering needs lots of will power and devotion, not all can take Kavadi to Lord Muruga, only the ones who are destined for this can take Kavadi.
For married couple, R Ramesh, 50 and Priscilla Quah, 47, who are kavadi-makers for 33 years, now is the busiest time of the year in having to complete the orders for various types of kavadi.
The couple, who has been in the business for 33 years, could afford to sleep for only to to three hours daily over the two weeks to get the orders ready, with their customers coming from as far as Kedah and Kuala Lumpur.
“This year, we received seven orders for 3D (three dimensional) kavadi, which we make using polyfoam, and five others, for the normal kavadi,” said Ramesh to Bernama.
Ramesh said he became interested to design and make the kavadi because of its vibrant and colurful decorations.
“That got me learning to make the kavadi from friends and in 1987, I produced my first kavadi, for which I had to pawn a necklace to be able to buy the materials need to make it.
“I was still working as a kitchen assistant at a hotel then. I gave the kavadi to a friend and he told me that the kavadi was beautiful and attractive. That got me excited and soon words spread. Since then I began to get orders to make kavadi,” he added.
Ramesh said in 2004, he quit his job as a chef and became a full-time kavadi maker with the support and encouragement from his wife.
Thaipusam, which falls on Feb 8 this year, is a festival celebrated by the Tamil community on the full moon in the month of Thai in the Tamil calendar to commemorate the act of Goddess Parvati presenting the vel (spear) to her son Lord Muruga as an embodiment of her shakti or power to vanquish the evil Soorapadman and restore peace and well-being.
In Malaysia, Thaipusam will also be celebrated on a grand scale at the Sri Arulmigu Balathandayuthabani temple in Penang and the Arul Subramaniar temple in Ipoh, Perak, and Johor.
The festival normally attracts local and foreign visitors, who will be highly impressed to see devotees carrying kavadi to pay penance to Lord Muruga.
Bernama
