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The Kavadee festival is the main festival of the Tamil Hindu community in Mauritius. Kavadee comes from the word to carry, marking the sacrifice of carrying the "kavadee," a large, decorative, wooden replica of a temple or deity. Devotees, who have been fasting for ten days, begin by gathering at a local river, bathing in the water to cleanse themselves of impurities. |
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Each extended family participating in the festival procession prepares a kavadee at home, bringing it to the river for last minute preparations and blessings. |
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The kavadees vary in size, shape, and style. |
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This kavadee is a more traditional kavadee decorated with flowers and picturing Lord Murgan. |
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This kavadee is a more contemporary style, using the symbol of the Vel (the gold piece on top) to represent Lord Murgan. |
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Families group together with members of their temple along the banks of the river, performing small pujas to Lord Murgan, who is pictured somewhere on the kavadee. |
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The priest of each temple visits the kavadee of each participating family, offering blessings and registering them for the procession. |
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One of the most striking parts of the Kavadee festival is the body piercing that many devotees choose to undertake. This ancient ritual is another form of sacrifice offered to Lord Murgan. |
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Devotees choose to pierce themselves and carry the heavy kavadee as a form of devotion, sacrifice, and demonstration of committment to their faith. |
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Many devotees participate every year, while others may participate if they have a family member that is sick and in need of blessing, or if they have a special prayer they want answered. |
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Many female devotees, carry large metal jars filled with milk on their heads. This milk is later poured over the image of Lord Murgan at the temple. |
