...

... maybe most of you wondered the title of my blog. well, to be honest, I haven't had the luxury of a proper net access for the past 1 week. As some of you might know, I am currently in Sentul, training the programming fast track guys. And well, I only managed to squeeze some of the wifi bandwidth my way today.

The past few days, I was basically in no net land, analog land that is. He he he. Kind of fun that is. No digital connection with the outside world. Kind of a bliss. But reality slapped me awake this morning when I logged in to check my email. 38 unanswered emails ! I suppose there is no escape. Anyway, we got to fix the access and bandwidth problem when we move to Sentul next month (are we?).

Anyway, the next few weeks are going to be quite lonesome over at my blog. I might not update anything on time. JBOSS .... looming over my head..... Happy blogging and my apologies to anyone from tech support in Sentul if I hurt their feelings (?)

-- better sleep with my lights on tonite, in case any tech support guys try to strangle me with a RJ45 --

clearing thaipusam confusions ...

"thai" is the 2nd last month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Traditionally, in India and Sri Lanka, this month is auspicious to farmers and businessmen. As the harvest is completed during this month, which usually signs the end of the monsoon, the farmers converge at the village temples (usually Goddess Durga or Lord Murugan) to bestow gratitude for a bountiful harvest.

The first festival is called "Ponggal" or "boiling over". The freshly harvested rice is prepared and on the first day of "thai", the farmers families rise early before the Sun and await for the sunrise. During the auspicious time, usually right at sunrise, milk is boiled in an earthen pot. Just as the milk boils over, rice and jaggery (pure sugar cane based brown sugar) is added. The resulted "ponggal" is then offered to "Suryan" of Sun God as an offer of thanks and hope.

"Thaipusam" or festival of the "thai" month, however, in most places is a different celebration. As legend goes, Lord Murugan, the younger son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, is angered by what he sees as injustice and favoritism by his parents towards his elder brother, Lord Ganesha, and leaves to set up his own kingdom in Palani. Goddess Parvathi tries to supplicate him and succeeds.

Devotees of Lord Murugan, follow in the footsteps of Goddess Parvathi, and bring an offering of milk to him. In India, the trip to Palani is most accessible only by foot as the temple is situated on a hilltop. The journey a devotees takes, carrying the pot of milk to Lord Murugan, denotes the devotion and love for him. Many Hindus (mostly South Indians) fast during this period and offer milk, with hopes of redemption and hopes of a better year. Some even carry "kavadi" or peacock-feathered mini chariots, with tiny pots of milk as a sacrifice.

Throughout the years (couple of hundred actually), the original meanings of "thaipusam" has been turned into a commercial carnival rather than a personal religious journey. Many now use the festival as a platform to make money or political agendas.

Well, I still hold on to the path that my Guru, Sri Subramaniswamy of Sri Lanka, set, that God foresees each of our actions, and the path to God is personal and committal is a prerequisite. It doesn't matter how many days you fast or how heavy is your kavadi or how many lights you fix to it, but if there is no love or devotion, what is the use?

the trees

there is unrest in the forest
there is trouble with the trees
the maples want more sunlight
but the oaks ignore their pleas

there is trouble in the forest
and the creatures have all fled
for the maples scream "OPPRESSION!"
but the oaks just shake their heads

so the maples formed a union
to force light for themselves
"the oaks just too lofty"
"we will make them give us light"

so the trees are all kept equal
by hatchet, axe and saw ...

- rush -

does this remind us of anything?