ANNUAL KAVADY CEREMONY DRAWS IN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DEVOTEES

 

By Subry Govender

The annual Kavady ceremony has drawn thousands of worshippers, their families, friends and the people in general at temples and other religious intsitutions all over the country on Sunday, January 27.

The participants, dressed in traditional sacred clothing and with their foreheads bearing the Namo symbols, gathered for the ceremony all over the North Coast, South Coast, central Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and even in Port Elizabeth and East London.

One of the biggest and well-attended ceremonies took place at the Umdloti Drift Shree Siva Subramaniar Alayam in Verulam. Here the devotees, many with their bodies, hands and faces bearing needles and other religious instruments, sang and danced with vigour and commitment - praising the deity, Lord Muruga. Lord Muruga is understood to heal the sick and eradicate all social and other problems encountered by the people.

There were more than 1 200 devotees standing in a long line to walk into the temple and conduct their prayers.

"This is one of the most holiest ceremonies conducted by the people since our forefathers came to this country more than 152 years ago," said Professor Sundru Kisten, who is the chairperson of the Umdloti Drift Temple.

"Our temple alone is more than 115 years old and this ceremony has been going on since its foundation. The devotees find that Lord Muruga answers their call to overcome any sickness and social problems they encounter.

"The devotees fast for 10 days, abstaining from all worldy luxuries and pleasures. We are so happy that thousands of people have come to the temple today to participate and witness this glorious religious ceremony."

Professor Kisten said the Kavady ceremony demonstrated the commitment of the people to becoming involved in their cultural and religious traditions and values.

Another senior official, Mrf Reggie Naidoo, said the Kavady ceremony involved a great deal of preparations by a dedicated group of people.

"For instance we had to prepare 28 pots of beryani and three pots of dhall to feed the people. In order to do this we had to speak to well-wishers and donors to obtain the necessary food stuffs. The people involved in cooking the meals had to come to the temple a little after mid-night on Sunday morning to carry out the necessary tasks.

"We are really grateful to all those involved in the preparations and successful conclusion of the Kavady ceremony."

Mr Naidoo said this year there were many people who were people with a Hindi background who had also taken part in the Kavady ceremony.

"We also had an African mother and her child carrying the Kavady this year," he said.

One of the devotees, Mr Barry Naicker, said the Kavady ceremoney brought a great deal of spiritual satisfaction to him and his family.

"We are truly blessed to participate in this Kavady and here at Umdloti we gain a great deal of spiritual upliftment."

A visitor to the Kavady, Mr Richard Govender, of Effingham, said he was highly-impressed with the huge turn-out and the manner in which the Kavady was organised.

"The people involved must be congratulated for their efforts. Their sacrifices in time and money are contributions to the development of our communities," he said.

"I want to urge our people to re-commit themselves to their spirituality, cultures and traditions because without this we will be a lost community. We have to preserve and promote all that is good that have been left by our forefathers, who sacrificed so much for us.

"I want to encourage Umdloti temple and others to continue with the very good and magnanimous work they are doing." ends

 

ANNUAL KAVADY DRAWS IN TENS OF THOUSANDS DEVOTEES IN SOUTH AFRICA

 

By Subry Govender

The annual Kavady ceremony has drawn thousands of worshippers, their families, friends and the people in general at temples and other religious intsitutions all over the country on Sunday, January 27.

The participants, dressed in traditional sacred clothing and with their foreheads bearing the Namo symbols, gathered for the ceremony all over the North Coast, South Coast, central Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and even in Port Elizabeth and East London.

One of the biggest and well-attended ceremonies took place at the Umdloti Drift Shree Siva Subramaniar Alayam in Verulam. Here the devotees, many with their bodies, hands and faces bearing needles and other religious instruments, sang and danced with vigour and commitment - praising the deity, Lord Muruga. Lord Muruga is understood to heal the sick and eradicate all social and other problems encountered by the people.

There were more than 1 200 devotees standing in a long line to walk into the temple and conduct their prayers.

"This is one of the most holiest ceremonies conducted by the people since our forefathers came to this country more than 152 years ago," said Professor Sundru Kisten, who is the chairperson of the Umdloti Drift Temple.

"Our temple alone is more than 115 years old and this ceremony has been going on since its foundation. The devotees find that Lord Muruga answers their call to overcome any sickness and social problems they encounter.

"The devotees fast for 10 days, abstaining from all worldy luxuries and pleasures. We are so happy that thousands of people have come to the temple today to participate and witness this glorious religious ceremony."

Professor Kisten said the Kavady ceremony demonstrated the commitment of the people to becoming involved in their cultural and religious traditions and values.

Another senior official, Mrf Reggie Naidoo, said the Kavady ceremony involved a great deal of preparations by a dedicated group of people.

"For instance we had to prepare 28 pots of beryani and three pots of dhall to feed the people. In order to do this we had to speak to well-wishers and donors to obtain the necessary food stuffs. The people involved in cooking the meals had to come to the temple a little after mid-night on Sunday morning to carry out the necessary tasks.

"We are really grateful to all those involved in the preparations and successful conclusion of the Kavady ceremony."

Mr Naidoo said this year there were many people who were people with a Hindi background who had also taken part in the Kavady ceremony.

"We also had an African mother and her child carrying the Kavady this year," he said.

One of the devotees, Mr Barry Naicker, said the Kavady ceremoney brought a great deal of spiritual satisfaction to him and his family.

"We are truly blessed to participate in this Kavady and here at Umdloti we gain a great deal of spiritual upliftment."

A visitor to the Kavady, Mr Richard Govender, of Effingham, said he was highly-impressed with the huge turn-out and the manner in which the Kavady was organised.

"The people involved must be congratulated for their efforts. Their sacrifices in time and money are contributions to the development of our communities," he said.

"I want to urge our people to re-commit themselves to their spirituality, cultures and traditions because without this we will be a lost community. We have to preserve and promote all that is good that have been left by our forefathers, who sacrificed so much for us.

"I want to encourage Umdloti temple and others to continue with the very good and magnanimous work they are doing." ends

 

Southside FM Radio - Latest developments

As at January 18 2013, Southside FM Radio is still negotiating with some political leaders about our attempts to obtain an FM frequency in and around the Durban area. ICASA has given FM frequencies in the Port Shepstone and Pietermaritzburg areas but we cannot start without Durban because it's in Durban that most of listeners, supporters and sponsors reside. ICASA says that it will consider a MW f...requency and we are awaiting their final details on this.
At the same time we are negotiating with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications Chairperson, Mr Eric Kholwane, about our frequency problems in the Durban and his office has informed us that "Southside is our priority for 2013".
We are also making efforts to talk to the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Zweli Mkhize.
As soon as our frequency is finalised, the hard work then begins. We will have to:
1). Finalise our premises with a proper lease agreement.
2). Recruit our presenters, reporters, advertising representatives and other staff members.
3). Train our presenters.
4). Build our studio.

It will take us at least three months to get off the ground once we obtain our frequency for Durban.
We will be a thoroughly professional outfit and fully independent of any outside influences.

If any one has any suggestion please contact: subrygovender@gmail.com or 082 376 9053/031 - 568 1309.

"Hey you coolies what you doing in our area," appeared to be the bark of the dogs.

                                            MUNIEN                   KANIAMMA

DO DOGS DISPLAY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR OWNERS?



The controversy surrounding President Jacob Zuma's statement about people who love dogs more than human beings as "having a lack of humanity", brings another side to the issue.

I hold no brief for Zuma but his statement really brings to mind the situation during the dark days of apartheid and white "baas" mentality when dogs used to only bark at black people.

I recall my early days when my grand-mother, Mrs Kaniamma Munien, and I used to walk from Cato Manor to the Early Morning Market in Durban, we used to pass through white homes. My grand-mother, dressed in the traditional sari and carrying a basket on her arm, was one of the people who had no idea of the oppression inflicted on the black majority. All she knew was that the white man was "God" and the white woman was "madam" and we must treat them as such.

My grand-mother, descendant of indentured labourers, was married at a very early age to Munien, who arrived in South Africa at the age of nine with his aunt from a village called Damal in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Kaniamma and Munien had nine children and they eked out a livelihood in the Cato Manor area of Durban. I was the son of their eldest son, Subramoney.

As a young boy I was regular at my grand-parents home and it was during these occasions that I used to accompany my grand-mother on foot to the Early Morning Market. We used to walk up a steep hill and then join the tarred road towards the market, which was situated in the Warwick Avenue area. I remember clearly that the University of Natal was situated in this area.

When passing through the white houses, the dogs used to run towards the gate and bark loudly at us. The dogs inside the properties of the white "basses" were vicious and they used to make us feel as if we were aliens - from another planet or outer space.

All kinds of vicious dogs from almost every white home used to bark at us until we were out of sight. Reaching the market area was a relief.

My grand-mother and I were not aware at that time that the white man's dogs were just displaying the racist attitudes of their masters.

In order to avoid any mishaps, we used to keep a safe distance from the gates of the homes we walked past.

There were buses running from Cato Manor to the Durban market area but my grand-parents were so poor that they could not afford the few cents for the bus fare. We had no other option but to walk.

After my grand-mother purchased the necessary vegetables, we used to take the same route back to Cato Manor Road. Once again the dogs gave us the same treatment.

"Hey you coolies what you doing in our area," appeared to be the bark of the dogs.

At that time it did not occur to me that the dogs barked at us because we were "dark skinned"?

Now why did these dogs bark at US only? Was it not because we were dark skinned - their owners were the "baas" and we were the "servants".

Why did the dogs not bark at white men, women and children?

Then there were experiences later in our lives when we progressed in our lives and moved to stay in an area on the North Coast. In this suburb most of the people were from the middle income class - they were teachers, lawyers, doctors, clerks and shop-keepers. They also lived behind high walls, huge gates and owned vicious dogs. These dogs also displayed the attitudes and behaviour of their owners.

They used to run to the gates and bark as loud as ever whenever they saw African people walk past. Now where did these dogs learn to bark only at African people?

Since1990, I have noticed that some dogs have changed their behaviour and now bark at all people. It seems all people - whatever your colour - are regarded as potential criminals and the dogs don't discriminate anymore? But do old attitudes die hard or do they just linger on?

I don't support the latest statement by Zuma because it's not the kind of statements that a First Citizen should be making at a time when we are trying to build a new, non-racial and democratic society.

But, nevertheless, we cannot run away from the fact that in many instances dogs imbibe and display the attitudes and characteristics of their owners.