Aadi III Friday Ubayam and Aadi Amavasai

All the Hindu temples seem to be currently busy with a festival called Aadi. Actually there are so many festivals and gods and goddesses to pray for that I am always a bit confused with all those celebrations. Today I happened to branch through the Sri VeeramKaliamman Temple in Little India which was hugely crowded. The Aadi has something to do with the worshipping of water. The story tells me that at embankments on rivers, in olden days when dams were unknown, women from farming families prayed to the river to flow perennially to enable them raise three crops in the year. River mother, they prayed, on you depends our livelihood! Wearing new clothes and carrying chitranna - sweet pongal, tamarind rice, coconut rice, lemon rice, and a variety of side dishes including pappad, vadagam, chutney, and buttermilk - they went to riverbanks and worshipped the river waters with traditional offerings like coconut, plantain, betel leaf and areca nut. Hailing the flowing river as Mother Kaveri, they adorned her with ear ring and black beads.

सनातन धर्म

Next to my place there is this wonderful temple I previously depicted called the Sri Sivan temple. It is completely out of any tourist itinerary despite the fact it probably is the most interesting temple in Singapore. I am trying to gradually understand the complex hierachy of Hinduism which is not only a religion but also a philosophical and cultural system. Unlike other religions in the world, the Hindu religion does not claim any one prophet; it does not worship any one god; it does not subscribe to any one dogma; it does not believe in any one philosophic concept; it does not follow any one set of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not appear to satisfy the narrow traditional features of any religion of creed. It may broadly be described as a way of life and nothing more.

The deities above appear to me as being Lord Siva and Lordess Parvati but correct me if I'm wrong.

Sri Mariamman

Singapore is dotted with an impressive number of Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples, Christian churches and Muslim mosques. Sometimes all sitting next to each other. The oldest Hindu temple is the Sri Mariamman founded in 1827. I believe it currently needs a bit of maintenance and renovation or at least a little of paint but it nevertheless remains an interesting feature if you happen to visit it at the right time (which means when something is actually going on and the gods and goddesses are not hidden behind curtains).

Sri Sivan Temple Maha Kumbabishegam

You would be forgiven for thinking I am living in India in view of my recent posts. But I am in Singapore and furthermore in the heart of the historical Malay and Chinese area! Coming back from shopping tonight I passed by the Sri Sivan temple next door where some prayers were going on. It usually is a fairly quiet temple but it is starting to get busy and some big tents which I thought were for the forthcoming Chinese New Year have been erected on the field next door. But I just dicovered what was going on. As per what I just gathered from the internet The Sri Sivan Temple are preparing a Maha Kumababishegam (Consecration Ceremony). According to them, it is a belief that taking part and witnessing a Maha Kumbabishegam is a lifetime blessing. Therefore I might be a part of this magnificent tradition and receive the blessings of the Divine Lord, Sri Viswanathar and all the presiding deities of this Temple over the coming week-end.

ThaiPusam Procession

This evening was just a preview with a small procession for this Hindu festival that is starting in the early hours of tomorrow. I might not be able to witness it because of my work schedule so this is why I wanted to at least take a glimpse of this preview. The real thing features devotees who pierce their tongues with metal skewers and attach large frames with hooks and spikes to display their faith and mind over matter.