The Lord who stands (nirkkum) atop (mIdil) the hill (malai) of pazhani [2] has come (vandu) to us as (Aga) a handsome (azhagu) god (deivam)! He (avan) is the young child (bAlan) given (tanda) to us by his mother (annai) pArvatI (Adi Sakti); bearing a lustrous spear (vaDivElan) he went on to win over (venra) a horde of demons (asurar) [3]. He is the Lord who lives deep inside the cave (guhan) of our hearts, and showers compassion (karuNai Sei) on his devotees (anbar) who sing (pADiDum) in tamizh (tamizhil) - a language that is like (ennum) a (Or) pot of excellent (nalla) nectar (amudam), so that the devotees can flourish (vAzhavE). This noble (uyar) soul of sterling character (SIlan) is that preceptor/mentor (guruvAm) accepted (uganda) by the mighty Siva (aran) [4]. He is the one with overflowing (surandE) grace (aruL) who assists us kindly (anukUlan), and protects (kAkkum) us forever (enrum).
What (enna) can I say (SolvEn) about the vision (kATSi) of the forms (kOlam) he takes (koLLum) in pazhani: as a baby (kuzhandaiyAga), as a young man (kumaranAga), and as an ascetic recluse (turaviyAga) dressed in a loincloth (kOmaNADai)? But I do know that by merely seeing these forms of the Lord, I have gained the ability to win over (velvEn) (or defeat) all (yAvum) of the deceptive/duplicitous/shameful (mAya) deeds (vinaigaL) [5] that every one complains (kUrum) about. I will bow down/pray (kumbiTTu) to murugan (kandan) [6] who is resplendent (tigazh) as a (Or) mighty (peru) benefactor (varadanai) in this (inda) world (kuvalayattii) during kaliyug (kaliyuga) as he blesses (aruLum) us, and rejoice (magizhvEn) as my miseries (piNigaL) are dispelled (nIngi), and ) the churn (kumral) in my heart (uLla) subsides (OindE), so that I can now travel (SelvEn) the path (vazhi) of righteousness (nalla).
He is the immaculate/spotless/supreme being (nimalanAm) who appears (tOnrum) in the temple town of pazhani (AvinankuDiyil) as a handsome/beautiful (murugESan) child (kuzhandai) mounted (Eri) on (mIdil) a blue (nIla) peacock (mayil). Sporting a mischievous smile (pon muruval) continually (nittila) on his face, he (avan) is the beloved (nESan) of the gypsy, vaLLi. He is ever resplendent (prakASan) in the form (vaDivam) of an eternal (nitya) [7] flame (jyOti) that is never extinguished, as he protects (kAttu ninriDum) any and all (yAraiyum) of his devotees (aDiyAr) in (tanil) this wide (nIL) world (nilam) who love (anbu SeidiDum) him. He is the one who will not vacate (nIngAdu) the heart (nenjai) of the composer, tUran [8], and will live (vAsan) there (angu) forever (enrum).
FOOTNOTES
[1] kAvaDi: a decorated pole of wood with an arch over it, carried on the devotees’ shoulders with offerings mostly for murugan temples
[2] pazhani or tiruvAvinankuDi is a temple town in South India, and forms the 3rd of the 6 (Aru or aru) houses (vIDu) or temples to murugan and his hordes/army (paDai) of devotees. The myth associated with this temple is that when the sage nArada brought one sweet mango (a fruit - pazham) to kailAS, both ganESa and muruga wanted it. Siva decided to offer the fruit to the first one to go around the world. muruga set off on his mighty peacock secure in the knowledge that gaNESa on his tiny mouse would be no match for him. However, when he returns after flying around the world, he finds gaNESa munching on the mango. He is told that while he was flying around the physical world, gaNESa went around his parents who where the world to him, and so, he won the mango fair and square. Needless to say, muruga was not convinced, and in a huff, he renounces everything and walks away to the hill of tiruvAvinankuDi as an ascetic. He is finally cajoled by his parents to return to kailAS, especially, after his mother, pArvatI offers him her powerful (Sakti) spear (vEl) as appeasement. He is also consoled when he is told: "as you (nI) are the fruit (pazham) of your devotees prayers, why would you need a fruit?"
Last edited by rshankar on 20 Apr 2009, 21:36, edited 1 time in total.
I too thought kAvadi-thUkal was done in celebrations for Lord Murugan until I saw pictures of the Vinayaka Rath yatra - Paris, which I gather is performed annually by the Tamils of Sri Lankan there. Tamils from Pondicherry in Paris are a small minority, I am told. These pictures are posted under the Festivals thread in this forum.
But it seems befitting that this propitiatory rite be performed to the Remover of Obstacles as well, since the purpose of the thUkaL is atonement.