Last Death

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Last Death

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Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்)

Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). It is also referred to as Thaipooyam or Thaippooyam in the Malayalam language. Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.

Origin

Lord Skanda (or Lord Murugan) was created during one of the battles between the Asuras and the Devas. At one point, the latter were defeated several times by the former. The Devas were unable to resist the onslaught of the Asura forces. In despair, they approached Lord Siva and entreated to give them an able leader under whose heroic leadership they might obtain victory over the Asuras. They surrendered themselves completely and prayed to Lord Siva. Siva granted their request by creating the mighty warrior, Lord Skanda, out of his own power or Achintya Shakti. He at once assumed leadership of the celestial forces, inspired them and defeated the Asura forces.

Meaning of Thaipusam

Thaipusam actually celebrates the birthday of the Hindu deity Subramaniam. On this occasion, Hindus show the sincerity of their faith. It is a time for making and fulfilling vows. Devotees pray for divine help and make vows. When their prayers are answered, they fulfil their vows.

Thaipusam has a number of meanings for Hindus, with the most spectacular and visible one being those that come to do penance for misdeeds or being unworthy of God. This penance takes the form of what look like incredibly masochistic feats of atonement such as seeing the endless procession of men who have attached limes, oranges or small silver urns to their backs and chests with hooks directly into their skin! Some add to this by attaching these hooks to rope which would be held by family members providing resistance and keeping these ropes taut against the devotee straining against it.

Others wear enormous 'kavadi's' (meaning "suffering at every step"), which are basically ornately decorated shrines assembled upon a steel frame that is supported around the bearers waist. Many of these kavidis weigh from 100-150 lbs and upwards and also have to be manhandled up the steps into the temple above.

Not all worship involves self inflicted pain, and many men and women make the walk to the Caves barefooted with a simple silver urn of fresh milk on their head in thanks for any children born that year.

The Kavadi

Generally, people take a vow to offer the Lord a Kavadi for the sake of tiding over a great calamity. Though this might, on the face of it, appear a little mercenary, a moment's reflection will reveal that it contains in it the seed of supreme love of God. The worldly object is achieved, no doubt, and the devotee takes the Kavadi; but after the ceremony he gets so God-intoxicated that his inner spiritual being gets awakened. This is also a method that ultimately leads to the supreme state of devotion.

The Kavadi has various shapes and sizes, from the simple shape of a hawker's storehouse (a wooden stick with two baskets at each end, slung across the shoulder) to the costly palanquin structure, profusely flower-bedecked and decoratively interwoven with peacock feathers. In all cases the Kavadi has a good many brass bells adorning it and announcing it as the Kavadi-bearer draws it along. As the Kavadi-bearer very often observes silence, the bells are the only eloquent signs of a Kavadi procession.

The two baskets hanging at each end of the Kavadi contain rice, milk or other articles that the devotee has vowed to offer the Lord. The more devout among them, and especially those who do it as a Sadhana, collect these articles by begging. They travel on foot from village to village, and beg from door to door. The villagers offer their articles directly into the basket of the Kavadi. The Kavadi-bearer continues begging until the baskets are full or the avowed quantity is reached, and then offers the Kavadi to the Lord.

Some keen devotees undertake to walk barefoot from home to one of the shrines of Lord Subramanya, bearing the Kavadi all the way and collecting materials for the offering. They have to walk a hundred miles sometimes! The people who place the articles in the baskets also receive the Lord's blessings.

The Kavadi-bearer is required to observe various rules between the time he takes up the Kavadi, and the day of the offering. He has to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the Kavadi, and at the time of offering it to the Lord. He also puts on the dress of a Pandaram, a Saivite mendicant. It consists of a saffron-coloured cloth, a conical scarlet cap, and a cane, silver-capped at both ends. Lord Siva, the Supreme Pandaram Himself, loves to wear this dress. The Pandaram lives on alms only. The bare chest of the Kavadi-bearer is covered with several rudraksha malas.

The Kavadi-bearer observes strict celibacy. Only pure, Sattwic food is taken; he abstains from all sorts of intoxicating drinks and drugs. He thinks of God all the time. Many of the Kavadi-bearers, especially those who do it as a spiritual Sadhana, impose various forms of self-torture. Some pass a sharp little spear through their tongue, which is made to protrude out of the mouth. Others may pass a spear through the cheek. This sort of piercing is done in other parts of the body also. The bearer does not shave; he grows a beard. He eats only once a day. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheek reminds him of the Lord constantly. It also prevents him from speaking. It gives him great power of endurance.

The Kavadi-bearer enjoys a high state of religious fervour. He dances in ecstasy. His very appearance is awe-inspiring; there is divine radiance on his face. Devotees often experience the state of feeling united with the Lord. Sometimes the Lord enters them and possesses them for some time.

Celebrations

In Palani, Tamil Nadu, India, Thai Pusam is celebrated with grandeur. Thousands of devotees flock to Palani and attend kavadi. According to palani.org, "The number of kavadis reaching Palani for Thai Pusam is about 10,000. For Pankuni Uttiram, 50,000 kavadis arrive. It is kavadi to your right, kavadi to your left, kavadi in front of you, kavadi behind you, kavadi above you and kavadi below you."

In Vaikom, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted with Kaavadis at Udayanapuram Subramanya temple. Devotees take panchamritha kaavadi, paal kaavadi, bhasma kaavadi etc.

In Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted at Satyavageeswara temple. The utsava moorthy is taken in procession on a vahanam(mount). There is nel(Paddy)parai alappu or Nel alavu, as a ritual performed for good luck and prosperity.

The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Singapore, Mauritius and Malaysia. It is a public holiday in several states in Malaysia, including Selangor, Penang, Perak, Johor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.

Thaipusam in Southeast Asia

Thaipusam celebrations in Malaysia and Singapore are known for their festive fervor. The most famous Kavadi pilgrimage on the Thaipusam day takes place at the Batu Caves in Malaysia, where a large number of devotees head towards the Murugan temple in procession carrying the 'Kavadi'. This festival attracts over a million people each year at the Batu Caves, near Kuala Lampur, which houses several Hindu shrines and the 42.7 meter high statue of Lord Murugan that was unveiled in January 2006. Pilgrims need to climb 272 steps to access the temple on the hilltop. Many foreigners also take part in this Kavadi pilgrimage. Notable among them are Australian Carl Vedivella Belle, who has been taking part in the pilgrimage for more than a decade, and German Rainer Krieg, who went on his first Kavadi in the 1970s.

The temple at Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists. The procession to the caves starts at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15 kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps to the top.

In Malaysia, although rare, scenes of people from different ethnic groups and faiths bearing "kavadi" can also be seen. Interestingly, Thaipusam is also increasingly being celebrated by the ethnic Chinese in Malaysia. Thaipusam is also celebrated at another cave site, the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak and at the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple along Jalan Waterfall in Penang. Temple secretary P. Palaiya Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh reported that about 250,000 devotees participated in the festival 2007, including 300 kavadi bearers, while 15,000 came with milk offerings.

Note: This article extracted from Veda Wikidot
Links: | Thaipusam | Vedas |

Lady's finger (Okra)

OKRA

Treatment For Blood Sugar (Diabetic) -

Thank God for Lady Finger-or...."OKRA"

Please note that another name for Lady Finger (Bhindi ) is " OKRA ".
Last month in one of TV program I learnt of a treatment of Sugar
(Diabetes). Since I am diabetic, I tried it and it was very useful and my
Sugar is in control now. In fact I have already reduced my medicine.
Take two pieces of Lady Finger (Bhindi) and remove/cut both ends of each
piece. Also put a small cut in the middle and put these two pieces in
glass of water. Cover the glass and keep it at room temperature during
night. Early morning, before breakfast simply remove two pieces of lady
finger (bhindi) from the glass and drink that water.
Keep doing it on daily basis.


Within two weeks, you will see remarkable results in reduction 
of your SUGAR.
My sister has got rid of her diabetes. She was on Insulin for a few
years, but after taking the lady fingers every morning for a few months,
she has stopped Insulin but continues to take the lady fingers every
day. But she chops the lady fingers into fine pieces in the night, adds
the water and drinks it all up the next morning. Please. try it as it
will not do you any harm even if it does not do much good to you, but U
have to keep taking it for a few months before U see results, as most
cases might be chronic.

பொங்கல் பண்டிகை: ஏன்? எதற்கு?

"பொங்கல் பண்டிகை' என்றதுமே தமிழர்களின் நெஞ்சமெல்லாம் மகிழ்ச்சியில் தாண்டவமாடும். அந்த அளவுக்குஅனைத்துத் தரப்பினராலும் ஆனந்தத்தோடு கொண்டாடப்படுவது பொங்கல் திருநாள். இது தொடர்ச்சியாக நான்குநாட்கள், நகரம் முதல் கிராமங்கள் வரை பரவலாகக் கொண்டாடப்படுகின்றது. எனினும் கிராமங்களில்தான் இந்தப்பண்டிகையில் கொண்டாட்டங்கள் அதிகம்.

போகி பண்டிகை

"போகி'யோடு தொடங்குகிறது பொங்கல் திருநாள். இந்திரனுக்கு "போகி' என்றொரு பெயர் உண்டு. எனவே இந்நாள், "இந்திர விழா'வாகவும் இருந்திருக்கக்கூடும். மழை பொழிய வைக்கும் கடவுள், வருணன். அவனுக்கு அரசனாகத்திகழ்ந்து இயக்குபவன் இந்திரன். வேதத்தில் இந்திரனை பற்றிய துதிகள் பல இடம் பெற்றுள்ளன.

மழை பெய்தால்தான் பயிர்கள் செழிக்கும்! உயிர்கள் வாழும்! எனவே பண்டைய நாட்களில் வருணனின் அதிபதியானஇந்திரனை "போகி'யன்று பூஜிக்கும் வழக்கமிருந்தது. தற்போது, "பழையன கழிதலும், புதியன புகுதலும்' என்றவகையில் போகிப் பண்டிகை கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது.

பொங்கலுக்கு முன்னரே வீட்டை வெள்ளையடித்துச் சுத்தம் செய்வார்கள். அப்போது தேவையற்ற பழம் பொருட்களைஓரத்தில் ஒதுக்கி வைப்பார்கள். போகியன்று அந்தப் பழைய பொருட்களைத் தீயிலிட்டுக் கொளுத்துவது வழக்கம்.அப்போது குழந்தைகள், சிறு பறை கொட்டிக் குதூகலிப்பர்.

ஆனால் இப்போதெல்லாம் போகியன்று "டயர்'களைக் கொளுத்தும் மூடத்தனம், பரவலாக நடக்கின்றது. இதனால் வளிமண்டலம் மாசு படுவதோடு, மனிதர்களுக்கு நோயும் உண்டாகின்றன. ஏற்கெனவே சுவாசக் கோளாறு உள்ளவர்கள்,டயர்கள் வெளியிடும் நச்சுப் புகையால் மேலும் பாதிப்புக்குள்ளாவார்கள். என்னதான் காவல் துறையினர்எச்சரித்தாலும், வீட்டுக்கு ஒரு காவலரையா நிறுத்த முடியும்? எனவே நாமே சமுதாயக் கட்டுப்பாடோடும், அறிவியல்விழிப்புணர்வோடும் இருந்து, நோய்கள் தரும் டயர் கொளுத்தும் வழக்கத்தினை முற்றிலுமாக ஒழிக்க வேண்டும்.

பொங்கல் பண்டிகை

ஆடிப் பட்டம் தேடி விதைப்பது தமிழர் மரபு. அவை தை மாதம் பிறப்பதற்கு முன் அறுவடையாகின்றது. அந்தப்புத்தரிசியை மண் பானையில் வைத்து (இதற்காகவே புதிய பானை வாங்கப்பட்டு, அதில் திருநீறும் குங்குமமும் இட்டு,அப்பானையை தெய்வீகமாகக் கருதுவது வழக்கம்) சர்க்கரைப் பொங்கல் செய்வது மரபு.

பெரும்பாலும் கிராமப்புறங்களில், வாசலிலே வண்ணக் கோலமிட்டு, அதன் நடுவே பொங்கல் பானையை வைத்து,பானையின் கழுத்தில் மஞ்சள் கிழங்கை இலையோடு கட்டி, மணம் பரப்பும் பொங்கல் சோறு பொங்கியெழும்போது, "பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்' என்று கூறி மகிழ்வார்கள். இப்படித் திறந்த வெளியில் பொங்கல் வைப்பதால், சூரிய பகவான்அதை நிவேதனமாக ஏற்று மகிழ்கிறார். இதற்காக கூடவே கரும்பும் வைத்து, கடவுளுக்குப் படைப்பார்கள்.

நகரங்களில் உள்ளோர், சமையலறையிலேயே பொங்கல் தயார் செய்துவிடுவார்கள். சந்து, பொந்துகளில்கூட வாகனநெரிசல் வளைத்துக் கட்டும்போது, சமையலறை பொங்கலே நகரங்களில் சாத்தியம். ஆயினும் "பால்கனி'யிலிருந்தோ,மொட்டை மாடியிலிருந்தோ அந்தப் பொங்கலை சூரியனுக்குப் படைத்து மகிழ்வார்கள்; தூபம், தீபம் காட்டி ஆதவனைஆராதனம் செய்வார்கள். இங்கும் கட்டாயம் கரும்பு நிவேதனம், முக்கிய இடத்தைப் பெற்றுள்ளது.

கிராமங்களில் தீபாவளிக்கு புத்தாடை வாங்காது போயினும், பொங்கலுக்கு எப்படியும் புதிய ஆடைகளையேஅணிவார்கள். நகரங்களில் ஏனோ தீபாவளியின் இடத்தை பொங்கல் பண்டிகை பிடிக்கவில்லை என்றுதான்தோன்றுகிறது. அது சரி, "மாடுகளை மேய்க்க மந்தைவெளி இங்கு இல்லையே' என்ற பாடல் வரிகள் கூறுவதும்நியாயம்தானே?

எது எப்படியோ... பொங்கல் பண்டிகை தரும் மகிழ்ச்சி, நகரங்களுக்கும் கிராமங்களுக்கும் பொதுவானதே!

மாட்டுப் பொங்கல்

கால்நடைகளே நமது நாட்டில் செல்வத்தின் அடையாளமாக ஒரு காலத்தில் திகழ்ந்தன. "ஆயிரம் பசுவுடைய கோநாயகர்' என்ற பட்டப் பெயர்களெல்லாம் புழக்கத்தில் இருந்தன. "ஏரின் பின்னால்தான் உலகமே சுழல்கின்றது' என்றார்திருவள்ளுவர். அந்த ஏர் முனையை முன்னேந்திச் செல்பவை மாடுகளே! இதன் மூலம் மாடுகளே உலகைஉயிர்ப்போடு வைத்துள்ளன எனக் கூறின் மிகையில்லை.

அந்த மாடுகளைக் கடவுளாகவே கருதி வழிபடுவதுதான் மாட்டுப் பொங்கலின் தத்துவம். பசுவின் உடலில் முப்பத்துமுக்கோடி தேவர்களும் உறைவதாகப் பெரியோர்கள் கூறுகின்றனர். எனவே பசுவை வணங்குவதன் மூலம், அனைத்துதேவர்களின் ஆசிகளும் நமக்குக் கிடைக்கின்றன.

மாட்டுப் பொங்கலன்று பசுக்களுக்கு மஞ்சள் பூசி, திருநீறிட்டு, குங்குமம் வைத்து, மாலை போட்டு வணங்குவர். அதன்பசிக்குத் தேவையான உணவையும் படைப்பர்.

காளைகளுக்கு கொம்புகளில் வர்ணம் பூசி, காலில் சலங்கை கட்டி, "வீர நடை' நடக்க வைப்பர். பல வீடுகளில் அன்றுகாளை மாடுகளுக்கு "அங்க வஸ்திரம்' போர்த்தி, மரியாதை செய்வார்கள். ஜல்லிக்கட்டு என்ற வீர விளையாட்டின்நாயகர்களும் காளைகளே! ஆனால் அக்காளைகளுக்கு செயற்கையான முறைகளில் வெறியூட்டுவது தவறு. தக்கமருத்துவர்களின் ஆலோசனைகளைக் கேட்டுப் பெற்று, அதன் வீரத்தை வளர்ப்பதே விவேகமான செயலாகும்.

திருவள்ளுவர் தினம்

மாட்டுப் பொங்கலன்று திருவள்ளுவர் தினமும் வருகின்றது. நாத்திகர்களாலும் மறுக்க முடியாத தெய்வப் புலவர்திருவள்ளுவர். கடவுள் வாழ்த்தோடு திருக்குறளைத் தொடங்கும் வள்ளுவப் பெருந்தகை, காதலுடன் அவ்வரிய நூலைநிறைவு செய்கின்றார்.

திருக்குறளில் சொல்லப்படாத விஷயமே இல்லை.

"உண்டது செரித்ததை உணர்ந்து உண்போர்க்கு மருந்தே தேவையில்லை' என்று அன்றே சொன்ன மருத்துவ வல்லுநர்திருவள்ளுவர். நீதி, நேர்மை, உண்மை, துறவு, அரச நீதி, காதல் என்று அவர் பாடாத விஷயமே இல்லை. திருவள்ளுவர்தினத்தன்று வள்ளுவர் கூறிய அறநெறிப் பாடல்களை நாமும் ஓதி, இளைய சமுதாயத்தினருக்கும் அவற்றின்பொருட்களை உணர்வித்தலே உண்மையான "வள்ளுவ பூஜை'யாகும். இந்நன்னெறியை தமிழர்கள் கட்டாயம்பின்பற்ற வேண்டும்.

காணும்பொங்கல்

பெண்கள் தங்கள் சகோதரர்களின் நலனுக்காகச் செய்வது "கனு' பொங்கல். அன்று காலை நீராடி, வெறும் வயிற்றுடன்,வெட்ட வெளியில் சூரியக் கோலமிட்டு, அதில் பொங்கல், கரும்பு போன்றவற்றை வைத்து, ஆதவனுக்குஅர்ப்பணிப்பார்கள்.

"காணும் பொங்கலும்' இந்த நன்னாளே! அன்று புத்தாடை அணிந்து சுற்றத்தாரையும், நண்பர்களையும் பார்த்து அளாவிமகிழ்வது வழக்கம். சிலர் இன்பச் சுற்றுலாவும் சென்று களிப்பர். ஒரு காலத்தில் எல்லாச் சந்தர்பங்களிலுமேசொந்தமும், நட்பும் அடிக்கடி சந்தித்து மகிழும் பண்பாடிருந்தது. இன்றைய "சீரியல்' உலகில், வீட்டுக்கு வரும்சிநேகங்களைப் பார்த்துச் சிரிப்பதுகூட அரிதாகிவிட்டது. இந்த அவல நிலையை மாற்ற இந்தக் காணும் பொங்கல்நாளில் சபதமேற்போம்!

வாழ்கின்ற ஒவ்வொரு நாளுமே திருநாளாக மலரட்டும்! ஜாதி, மத, இன, மொழி வேறுபாடுகள், "சூரியனை' கண்டபனிபோல விலகட்டும்! அதற்கு அந்த ஆதவனே நல்வழி காட்டட்டும்! வாழிய செந்தமிழ்! வாழ்க நற்றமிழர்! வாழியபாரத மணித் திருநாடு!

Home Remedy To Reduce Blood Pressure

Black Fungus (Mok Yee)

Preparation:

1) Pick a hand full of Black Fungus and soak in water for 1-2 hours

2) Wash Black Fungus and cut to pieces with scissors.

3) Pour five bowls of plain water into slow cooker (crock pot)

4) Put 2-3 slices of ginger, 8-10 red dates, 20 (wolf berry) into crock pot.

5) Bring to boil for 8 hours. One and a half bowls of Black Fungus juice remain after boiling overnight. 

Preparation:

1) Pick a hand full of Black Fungus and soak in water for 1-2 hours

2) Wash Black Fungus and cut to pieces with scissors.

3) Pour five bowls of plain water into slow cooker (crock pot)

4) Put 2-3 slices of ginger, 8-10 red dates, 20 (wolf berry) into crock pot.

5) Bring to boil for 8 hours. One and a half bowls of Black Fungus juice remain after boiling overnight.

Consumption:

You may consume for 10 to 14 days according to the severity of the problem. For those with low blood pressure consume less or only for alternate days. Drink Black Fungus first thing in the morning with an 'empty stomach'.. Consume at least one large bowl. Take breakfast 2 hours later. Side effects - you may feel a little tired after 3- 4 days. Consume multivitamins and fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Do not eat oily or fried foods during this period.

Observation:

Dark and oily stool during the first two days.

Remarks: Cholesterol medication is chemical in nature and may harm the liver. Black Fungus is a plant and does not contain chemicals.

Review:

I immediately followed an advice of a friend who told me about Black Fungus. He had four block heart arteries, over 90 percent blocked. His cardiologist advised him to go for bypass surgery, failing which he would suffer an imminent heart attack. His sinseh (Chinese physician) friend advised him against surgery as the procedure would be messy, painful and expensive. He followed the advice of his “sinseh” friend by consuming Black Fungus daily. After consuming boiled Black Fungus juice for 40 days, he went for an angiogram. His heart specialist was surprised and shocked that his arteries were all cleared of any blockage and it would not be necessary to see him for another 10 years! My observation is that Black Fungus juice is not only effective in treating high blood cholesterol but also helps to bring relief to joint paints, arthritis and poor blood circulation. The internet information claims that Black Fungus reduces blood clot, preventing thrombosis, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease and cancer. Black Fungus contains abundant protein, ferric, calcium, vitamin, rough fiber, the content of protein is equal to meat.

Black Fungus (Cloud Ears)

Chinese Wolfberry (goji berry)

Red Date (Jujube)

Ginger