Im Back, and A Big Hello to all “old” and new members.

[Guest guest]

Warm welcome back to Sivadancer too.

 

Hmmmmmmm looks like the other moderators are relatively quiet. They

are around, but held up with their non web obligations I guess. As

for me I've just got back from up north : an island called

Penang,

Malaysia, for the Thaipusam Festival. It was a wonderful experience

that I just cant wait to tell all of you. Ive been to many many

Thaipusam Festivals mostly in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur [ Batu

Caves] but nothing is like the one in Penang.

 

You see Chinese and Indians devotees walking side by said , carrying

the Kavadi/milk pot / pulling the chariot, paying homage to Lord

Murugan. But what really got me excited is when I saw a chariot of

Durga Devi mounted on her lion and at her side Goddess Kuan Yin. This

chariot was pulled by several young man of Indian and Chinese

background. Both of them look so beautiful and strikingly powerful.

On the eve of the Thaipusam, they break thousands of coconut along

the street, and as the chariot of Lord Murugan about to pass.

 

Pictures ! Pictures ! yes I have lots of them. Let me get them

download, and you all can take a look at it.

[Guest guest]

--- "Nora" wrote:

<snip>

> On the eve of the Thaipusam, they break thousands of coconut along

> the street, and as the chariot of Lord Murugan about to pass.

>

> Pictures ! Pictures ! yes I have lots of them. Let me get them

> download, and you all can take a look at it.

 

A very curious picture from last year's Thaipusam festival in Penang

appeared in our local papers. It showed a mixed crowd of Indian and

Chinese devotees breaking coconuts in front of a temple wall. On the

top of this wall, there were two statues of Lord Ganesha and Lord

Murugan flanking a central statue of --- NOPE, not Lord Shiva, but

Lord Vishnu!!? Did I miss any important footnotes in the Puranas

about the Devas' familial lineage? :-)

 

And after what Nora has reported about Sri Durga and Kuan Yin being

side by side in the chariot, hmm, maybe tomorrow, I will see a

newspaper pic of a Penang-ese(?) Kuan Yin statue flanked by Lord

Ganesh and Lord Murugan!

 

It's been 21 years since I last visited Penang. Perhaps the form of

Hinduism practiced there has changed greatly since? ;-)

 

 

Hari OM

[Guest guest]

"On the top of this wall, there were two statues of Lord Ganesha and

Lord Murugan flanking a central statue of --- NOPE, not Lord Shiva,

but Lord Vishnu!!? Did I miss any important footnotes in the Puranas

about the Devas' familial lineage?"

 

Well as we know, Lord Shiva: the antisocial and shy. I dont think so

he cares very much. So perhaps he told Lord Vishnu [ uncle of Ganesha

and Murugan ]" why dont you take over, since you like

all the 'publicity' and such". LOL.

 

I saw amongst the many pics [this year]: not much of Vishnu, but

Krishna [ by the Hare Krishna group ] and one very interesting pic of

elderly Shiva holding Murugan as a child. This is the first time im

seeing the elderly Shiva.

 

"It's been 21 years since I last visited Penang. Perhaps the form of

Hinduism practiced there has changed greatly since?"

 

Then you should go there next year. Im going to definitely. A

wonderful experience. Free flow of food and drinks. While the indians

offered free

vegetarian lunch and dinner, the chinese distribute fruits and bottle

drinks etc.

 

Om Shanti