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hinduism

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Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri is one of the most auspicious Hindu Festivals in Mauritius. Lord Shiva is the main god in most temples in Mauritius and ShivaRatri literally means (the night of Shiva). There is a Shivaratri every month, but Maha Shivaratri is the most auspicious one literally translate to 'The Great Night of Shiva'. On the night of Maha Shivaratri
of Maha Shivaratri, there's all night long prayers and water from the Ganges is poured in the Shiva Lingums. In Mauritius, we have a sacred lake caled Grand Bassin, which is supposed to have been filled by the first Indian immigrants with holy water from the Ganges. So, for Maha Shivaratri, we all usually go on a walking pilgrimage to Grand Bassin to collect the sacred water from the lake for the prayers on the night of Maha Shivaratri.

Here's an article that talks more about how we celebrate Maha Shivaratri in Mauritius.

http://pages.intnet.mu/fullspot/Events/Mahashiv.htm

I've attached some pictures of the Giant Shiva Statue we have in Mauritius. The status is 108 feet tall (sacred number in Hinduism) and is always almost covered in fog during the Maha Shivaratree festival. The first picture is actually how it looks like in fog, I've just added some blue light to accentuate the profile and shadows.

BTW.. on this pious occasion of Maha Shivatree, I decided to make a hindu prayer iphone application. It's still in the proess of app store aproval, but check it out at http://ipuja.weboot.com/ for an early preview.

 

Filed under  //  festival   hindu   hinduism   mauritius   shiva  
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Thaipusam Cavadee in Mauritius

Yesterday was Thaipusam Cavadee in Mauritius. I was there last year while the festival happens. I thought I'd post some pictures I took there last year.

It is a very auspicious religious festival celebrated in Mauritius and other parts of the world as well, by mostly the Tamil community, but lately, more and more people of different faith and religions in Mauritius, as it brings salvation to many. The festival celebrates the birthday of Lord Muruga (son of Shiva) the Tamil God of War.

Devotees and pilgrims for the procession, have to fast for weeks in advance to cleanse their bodies and mind and also pray a lot before the actual day of cavadee. On the day of cavadee, they have body piercings and carry altars made specially for that occasion to temples and rivers. I've copied an extract of what Wikipedia says about the piercings.

"The simplest kavadi is a semi circular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit."

 

Filed under  //  festival   hindu   hinduism   mauritius   procession  
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