THE pavement a long Jalan Batu Caves, Selangor, is lined with shops selling garlands of flowers. A man sits on a plastic chair while another stands next to him holding a straight razor in his hand.
A clump of hair drops on the pavement as the razor runs along theman’s head. He’s smiling, satisfied, possibly in anticipation of what he’ll be doing after the headshaving session.
I eventually discover that he’s all set to go up the Batu Caves Murugan temple where he will don a yellow robe, the divine colour of Thaipusam and the favourite colour of Lord Murugan.
There are also many children there. Five-year-old Thiveathaa Sivabalan sits quietly as a man shaves her head while her mother, Yogesvary Krishnan, watches.
After little Thiveathaa is done, her elder brother, Livendran, takes his turn. Unlike Thiveathaa, Livendran breaks out in tears and squirms every time the razor touches his head.
It’s only 8 in the morning and the road is already packed with Hindu devotees clad in dresses of the same colour. Some are carrying a pal (milk) kavadi, the simplest kavadi, on top of their head.
They will all be embarking on the same journey towards the temple up the hill of Batu Caves.
Under a ramp not far from the temple, devotees who will be carrying more elaborate kavadis are preparing themselves for the journey. The air is filled with the smell of incense and betel leaves.
A man straps on a huge kavadi decorated with peacock feathers and an idol of Murugan. Another man approaches him and says a prayer. As soon as the man touches his forehead, he goes into a trance.
He dances to the beat of the urumi melam, a double-headed hourglass-shape drum, with the huge kavadi on his shoulders.
THE FIRST KAVADI BEARER
Kavadi, or burden, is synonymous with Thaipusam. The story of the kavadi is steeped in mythology. According to Palani.org, a comprehensive website on Murugan temples, legends, deities and others, it started when Sage Agastya wanted to take two hills—Sivagiri and Saktigiri— to his abode in the South and commissioned his asuran (a member of a class of divine beings in the Vedic period) disciple Idumban to carry them.
Idumban was one of the very few asuran survivors of the war between Murugan’s forces and those of Surapadman, a demon of Viramahendra Puri.
After surviving the war, he repented and became a devotee of Murugan. Idumban bore the hills slung across his shoulders in the form of a kavadi, one on each side.
When he reached Palani, a town in Tamil Nadu, he felt exhausted so he placed the kavadi down to take a rest.
When Idumban resumed his journey, he found that he couldn’t lift the hill. Murugan had made it impossible for Idumban to carry it.
Upon the hilltop the great asuran spotted a little boy in only loincloths.
He demanded that the boy leave at once so he could proceed with his task. The boy refused. A fierce battle ensued and Idumban was slain but was later restored to life.
Idumban recognised the boy as none other than Murugan and prayed to Him that whoever carried on his shoulders the kavadi, signifying the two hills, and visited the temple on a vow, should be blessed.
He should also be given the privilege of standing sentinel at the entrance to the hill. Ever since then, pilgrims have been bringing their offerings in the form of a kavadi as how Idumban, the first kavadi bearer, endured it.
To be a kavadi bearer is not easy. One must be cleansed of mental and physical impurities before one can implore Murugan for assistance. The devotees must follow strict purification processes which includefasting for 48 days, going on a vegetarian diet and shaving of the heads.
STICKING TO TRADITION
Not many people can design a kavadi. The skills and know-how are important.
For designer B. Balasubramaniam, a mechanical supervisor by day, he’s always been fascinated by the traditions that make up Thaipusam ever since he was 17.
“As I was growing up, the colours and devotion of Thaipusam instilled
a deep emotion in me,” explainsBalasubramaniam, or Bala as he’s fondly known, when we meet that morning.
He adds: “I started sketching my ideas when I was a teenager. I thought of how someday I would design and create my own kavadi. I started reading the Sthapati documented text (ancient temple architects) to incorporate the design into my kavadi.”
Bala now has his own kavadi-making business, where those interested can place their orders via his Facebook page. He even has customers who live as far as theUnited States.
The soft-spoken 36-year-old will usually draw his own design but sometimes he customises it according to his customer’s wish. That said, Bala does prefer to stick to the more traditional designs.
“I want to uphold our culture and tradition and that’s why I want the kavadi design to be how it was back in the days.
That’s why I’m not very keen with the latest trends (in design),” confides Bala when asked about his thoughts on the more modern kavadi designs which sometimes incorporate pop-culture elements such as EPL football clubs logo.
Bala’s engineering knowledge certainly comes in handy when designing the kavadi. He applies his knowledge of science into his kavadi-making in order to obtain a ‘balanced’ kavadi that will not be too heavy for the bearer.
“This type of kavadi can weigh up to 32kg. So it’s important to know the bearer’s weight before I design their kavadi. You don’t want them to get hurt,” explains the Seremban lad who’s now residing in Banting.
In the past, kavadi was made with bamboo and wood and it would take about a week to complete.
These days, Bala uses aluminium for the frames and screws to tighten every end.
“It takes me about an hour to finish,”he says, as he wraps the rounded frame of his kavadi with peacock feathers.
The large, majestic bird is a sacred symbol of Murugan and it’s said to be the vehicle of the Lord Murugan.
“The feathers are one of the most important elements on a kavadi,” says Bala, who imports the best quality ones from India.
The kavadi is almost ready with one final touch left to go, the idol of Lord Murugan. Bala carefully places the deity onto the kavadi, making sure that it doesn’t fall when in motion. He then prays for everything to go smoothly before the bearer puts the kavadi on. We part ways as they start their spiritual journey to the temple to present their offerings to Lord Murugan.