Thaipooya Kaavadi maholsavam, at Ulloor Bala Subrahmania Swamy temple, Trivandrum

March 27, 2016

Thaipooya Kaavadi maholsavam, at Ulloor Bala Subrahmania Swamy temple, Trivandrum - Jan 2016

The annual "Thaipooya Kaavadi maholsavam" at Bala Subramania Swamy Temple situated at Ulloor, Trivandrum, attracts thousand of devotees. The festival falls on "Pooyam" day in the Malayalam month of Makaram (approx January).

a kid during thaipooya kaavadi

The Kaavadi, originally meant a contraption which could be used to carry ones belongings. The contraption is shaped like a bow with a pole which could be placed on one's shoulder with belongings balanced on either sides and is usually made of wood.

a tired kaavadi kid during the event

The legends have it that Sage Agasthya, had wanted his favourite disciple, Hidumbasura, to bring two hillocks, from Kailasam, the abode of Lord Shiva. Hidumbasura, and the obedient disciple set out to Kailasam and plucked out the two hillocks after paying due obeisance to the Lord. He made a bow of wood and placed the two hillocks on either side of it and balanced it across his mighty shoulders the first Kaavadi ever. He planned to bring it back to his Guru's ashrama, but destiny and the Lord Subrahmaniya had decided otherwise.

the procession

As ill-luck would have it Hidumbasuran lost his way in the dense woods on his way back to his Guru's ashrama. Lord Subrahmanian came in the guise of a king and took the tired Hidumbasura to his kingdom. The tired asura slept off and when he woke he could no longer lift the Kaavadi, with the two hillock. The bewildered asura saw a small child playing on top of the hillock and with his powers of penance understood that the child was indeed Lord Subrahmaniya who had come to test him. He bowed before the Lord. The Lord blessed him and was relieved of all sins. This happened on the Pooyam (Poosam) day of the month Makaram on which day the Kaavadi festival is celebrated. The festival begins with the "Kappukettal"ceremony which falls twelve days before. The devotees who have decided to take the Kaavadi goes on a "vritha" of abstaining from violence, sex and non-vegetarian food. Most of them stay in the temple premises.

The procession accompanied by caparisoned elephants sets off early in the morning from the Shiva temple near Gowrisapattom and covers over five kilometers to the Subrahmania temple. Tiny tots go in for the "palkavadi" a pot full of milk, while the young and old take the "pookavadi" ,the kavadi may contain vibhuthi or flowers which will be offered to the deity after the procession.

kids kaavadi

theyam

young kid fully immersed in kaavadi

theyam

kaavadi during thaipooya kaavadi maholsavam

enjoying the kaavadi

you can notice the contraption made of wood.

mayil kaavadi during thaipooya kaavadi maholsavam

And here are some pictures of the trivandrum nagarasaba cleaning stuffs during the thaippooya kaavadi maholsavam 2016. I personally like to thank each and every member of the trivandrum nagarasaba cleaning staffs for keeping the city clean. High five for the team ..!!