Thaipoosam Cavadee - Mauritius -Public holiday - 2012

The Thaipoosam Cavadee is being celebrated today Tuesday 07.02.2012. This celebration is an important date in the Tamil calendar as it concludes a ten-day fast and prayers which started on Sunday 29.01.2012. This day is marked by strong faith and devotion as well as sacrifice to Muruga, son of Shiva and Parvati. Muruga is seen as the alleviator of obstacles and as a protector.

There are some ancestral rituals linked to this celebration, one of them being that a child is shaved at his first Cavadee after being born. 10 days prior to the celebration, the Tamil community go to the Kovil (temple) for the Kodi Ettram, a white flag bearing the picture of a cock or a peacock is raised to announce the beginning of the fast and during the following days the blessing and protection of the Lord will be sought.

During the 10 days prior to the procession towards Muruga, the Tamils generally eat only vegetarian dishes said ‘satvik’, sleep on a mat on the floor and attend prayers every day at the Kovil with special focus on Muruga. The Cavadee which will be carried on the day of the main celebration is purified during three days prior to the celebration with water, saffron water, and rose water. On the eve (of the three days), the families prepare the Cavadee as well as smaller yokes symbolizing Muruga’s temple. Wood and bamboo are assembled into a big arch which can be up to 3 metres tall, and the structure is composed of coconut leaves, peacock feathers, flowers, lime, shimmering cloth sewn with small bells and icons of their God

The Cavadee is prayed in the Sami Arai or God/prayer room.

At sunrise, on the main day, as part of the last preparations semboos containing milk are attached to the Cavadee and this milk will be poured upon Muruga after the procession in the midst of intense prayers.