TENS OF THOUSANDS PARTICIPATE IN KAVADY CEREMONIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

By Subry Govender

Tens of thousands of South Africans of Indian-origin once again flocked to temples and places of worship all over the country to participate in the annual Kavady prayer services on Sunday, February 12. The Sunday gatherings followed similar events that were held three days earlier on Thursday, February 9. Both the Thursday and Sunday services were characterised by entire families, including young children and teenagers, participating in the Kavady ceremonies with all their passion, commitment and total belief in Lord Muruga. The people turned up in their huge numbers despite the scorching heat. The unbearable heat was in fact no deterrent for the devotees.

(THE RESIDENT SWAMI AND OFFICIALS PROVIDING A HELPING HAND FOR THE DEVOTEES)

(MR G K MOODLEY (RIGHT) AND ANOTHER VETERAN OFFICIAL) I was really impressed and thrilled when I attended one of the Kavady ceremonies at the Shri Siva Subramaniam Alyam in Umdloti, Verulam on Sunday. This historic temple, like hundreds of temples all over KwaZulu-Natal, was built by our forefathers and mothers who were brought to the then Natal Colony to work as indentured (slave) labourers on sugar plantations since the 1860s. Kavady was one of the traditions that our ancestors started at these temples and thereafter bestowed to their children and surviving generations. This tradition continues today with the same passion and vigour. Here at the Umdloti Drift Alyam I was thrilled to see young people fully involved, not only in carrying the Kavady, but also as singers, drummers and providing support for their family members. The spiritual nature of the Kavady ceremony was uplifted tenfold with the beautiful religious music being played in the background for the devotees.

(Mr Enver Moodley with his tgwo-year-old son, wife and another family member) Some of the devotees I spoke to said they carried the Kavady because of the spiritual and cultural upliftment they gained from the ceremonies. Twenty-eight-year-old Mr Enver Moodley, a general manager in a contact centre, took part in the ceremony with his wife and two-year-old son. “It’s a devotion and something that I do for my child to make sure that he follows the rituals in the same way that I was brought up in life,” he said. “My son is going to be two years in March and this is to make sure that he grows up and follows our traditions. “I have been really, really involved for the past nine years. Every year that I have been participating, I have seen people’s lives changing for the better and I have seen it in myself. I am 28-years-old and I have seen that I have been prospering ever since I have been carrying the Kavady.” He conceded that with the advent of technology and modernisation there’s some concerns about whether the younger generation would stick to their cultures. “But I believe that if parents, like me and my wife, continue to promote the Kavady and other festivals within our families, then obviously the children would follow in the footsteps of their families. “It all starts from us to make sure that they follow in the right pathway. If they continuously see what their parents are doing, then obviously they will follow in their footsteps.”

(MRS VASANTHIE NAYANAR (CENTRE) WITH FAMILY MEMBERS) Another Kavady devotee was Mrs Vasanthie Nayanar, a financial accountant. “For me,” she said, “it’s just something I have to do every year, there’s no vow, no penance”. “It’s just part of my culture basically. I feel very spiritually uplifted when I take the Kavady.” Mrs Nayanar has started a youth programme to educate the youth about the importance and significance of Kavady. “In order to retain the youth we must embark on a process of educating the youth about the significance of the Kavady. For me that should be the purpose of the Kavady,” she said. “I am happy to see a lot of youth around here and we need to continue to educate them about the values of Kavady and other important cultural events.”

(PROF CHANDRU KISTEN (SECOND FROM LEFT) WITH SOME OF HIS OFFICIALS) Professor Chandru Kisten, Trustee of the Shri Siva Subramamiar Alyam, said they had seen an upsurge in the number of people, especially the youth, participating in the Kavady ceremonies. “There is re-surgence among the people, especially the young, in their traditions and cultures because of the good work being carried out by all the temples and organisations”, he said. “There’s greater awareness of the significance, and at the same time, there are so many stories told about the miracles that happen during this auspicious period. “There’s a real belief in the carrying of the Kavady and the signifance of the prayer.” He added: “You will even find the youngsters now not only piercing and carrying the Kavady, but there’s a real belief in Kavady. The youngsters come forward and assist in all spheres. The fact that they come with their parents and pray together is an indication that more and more people are becoming spiritually inclined. “This tradition started by our ancestors has continued and we must now continue to strengthen and promote the Kavady ceremony and other cultural traditions.”

– ends (subrygovender@gmail.com)