We entered the temple office to see if someone could help us. Normally, Mahar would have cross-examined Ramakrishna on his theory about “when Lord Murugan calls.” Instead, he watched the endless stream of pilgrims and asked him curiously, “Do they eat, get water to drink, use rest stops? Do ghosts and goblins bother them at night?” Mahar’s resistance saddened me but Ehud, ever the optimist, always said, “Don’t worry, India will work on him.” My husband Ehud and I had spoken to him softly as well as sternly about his opposition, but nothing had come of these conversations. Ever since he turned two, Mahar had offered consistent protest to my daily pooja. The atheist in Mahar must have winked in disbelief, thinking, Ha, ha, how can Murugan call? Statues don’t speak. They carry their offerings on their head and go barefoot.
Ramakrishna, our driver explained to Mahar, “These pilgrims have resolved to walk from their homes to Palani temple. From our car, Mahar watched hundreds of people walking by. So here we were, in India, on a road trip from Madurai to Palani. Valli is our reincarnated life and Deivayaanai is our soul.When our son Mahar was born, we had made a resolution that we would visit Palani temple and offer his birth hair to Lord Murugan. We learn in kandapuranam Lord Muruga married Sri Valli thenafter at Tiruttani and brought her along with Deivayanai to Katirkaamam in Sri Lanka, from where they ascended heaven. The rooster is selfawareness.The peacock is moving with God.
The former peacock revived back as Indira who was squashed by the Lord for his arrogant nature. As per his dying wish,he became the emblem of Lord Muruga showing that Lord Muruga redeems the karmas of people and he replaced the usual peacock as the mount of the Lord. * SKANDA SHASTI – Lord Muruga exterminated the demon Surapadman at Thiruchendur and upon his beseech for immediate moksha ,Surapadman was pulled out of a mango tree and transformed as a peacock –mayil and a rooster ,the cock. It is a good time to praise and thank the six nourishing mothers of the Lord.,the Kartigai pengal who look upon us from the sky. Our forefathers the indentured labourers and artisans from India and Sri Lanka built three great Kovils in honour of the Tamil God, Murugan,namely the Dhandayudapaani Thirukovil at Clemencia He became one body with six heads ,twelve arms on two feet,He became the Lord all powerful to destroy all negative forces and human sins and bad karmas and restores everlasting bliss to human soul. Carrying a cavadee for Lord Murugan is following an instruction given by the Lord to his guardian Idumban, telling him that whosoever carries a cavadee while doing penance and prayers towards Him with the sincerity of heart and mind will receive His Arul, His Grace. Milk is synonymous to nourishing Satvik food for the new born child. In Mauritius the Chittirai Pournami Paruvam is celebrated with grand favour by devotees bearing cavadees to offer pure milk to their lord Siva Subramanya, the Tamil God on the mount of Corps de Garde.
The month of Chittirai is the first month of the yearly Tamil calendar and it is noteworthy that the South Indian Tamil Hindus and their families in the Diaspora countries sing the glories of their God on the Chittirai Pournami day, 27th day of Chittirai in the Hevilambi Aaandu, Wednesday 10th May 2017.