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Thaipoosam Cavadee
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 Tamil temple in Mauritius In a festival which is traditionally an expression of devotion to Lord Subramaniam, the Son of Shiva, Granter of Wishes, Tamil worshippers throughout Mauritius sport anatomy-defying piercings of all kinds, in one of the most impressive displays of organised religious fervour you are likely to find anywhere in the world. This festival is spectacular: cheeks pierced with needles, weighted hooks hanging from nipples and tongues pierced with giant iron bars are all variations on the theme of religious penance, gratitude and self-transcendence as expressed by the participants in the medium of their bodies.
These acts are performed as gratitude for all those whose wishes have been granted throughout the year, as well as to show the devotion of those who make Lord Subramaniam their personal deity. Devotees transport containers of milk on flower-adorned wooden yokes: a stricture is that despite the burning sun, the transported milk must not have curdled when it arrives at the temple!
These ascetic practices are devotional, metaphysical and sacrificial, but also demonstrate exercises aimed at controlling the mind and transcending physical pain.
This aspect of the celebration links into an age-old undercurrent of Hindu religious thinking, which aims to extend consciousness beyond the body, thereby achieving exalted states of consciousness and eventually yoga, or union with the Godhead.
Though widespread and strong, this current of asceticism and bodily mortification is far from the governing principle of Hinduism. Counteradvocates praise moderation in all practices, rejecting extreme mortification as an expression of pride:
Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride, egoism, lust and attachment, who are impelled by passion and who torture their bodily organs as well as the Supersoul dwelling within are to be known as demons. (Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 17, texts 5-6).
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| Idumban, the first Kavadi bearer |
Palani, Kavadi and IdumbanHow Murugan, Idubam and Kavadi came to Palani
Sage Agastya wanted to take two hills -- Sivagiri and Saktigiri -- to his abode in the South and commissioned his asuran disciple Idumban to carry them. Idumban was one of the very few asuran survivors of the suraasuran war between Murugan's forces and those of Surapadman. After surviving the war he had repented and became a devotee of Lord Murugan.
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Blessing in disguise:
Ganapati employs cunning to cheat Murugan |
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| Idumban finds the kavadi is too heavy at Palani |
At this stage, Subrahmanya or Muruga had just been outwitted by His brother Ganesa in a contest for going around the world and He was still smarting over the matter. Ganapati had won the prized fruit (the Jnana-pazham) by simply going around His parents. Long after this, Subrahmanya came seating on His peacock to find that the prize had already been given away. In anger, He vowed to leave His home and family and came down to Tiru Avinankudi at the Adivaaram (meaning 'foot of the Sivagiri Hill'). Siva pacified Him by saying that Subrahmanya Himself was the fruit (pazham) of all wisdom and knowledge. Hence the place was called Pazham-nee ('You are the fruit') or Palani. Later He withdrew to the hill and settled there as a recluse in peace and solitude.
Idumban bore the hills slung across his shoulders in the form of a kavadi, one on each side. When he reached Palani and felt fatigued, he placed the kavadi down to take rest.
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| Idumban today at Palani |
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Palani, the timeless centre
of Murugan devotion |
When Idumban resumed his journey, he found that he could not lift the hill. Muruga had made it impossible for Idumban to carry it. Upon the hilltop the great asuran spotted a little boy wearing only kaupeenam and demanded that he vacate at once so Idumban could proceed with his task. The boy, who was yet in a fighting mood, refused. In the fierce battle which ensued, Idumban was slain but was later restored to life.
Idumban belatedly recognised the boy as none other than his ista devata Murugan and prayed to Him that: 1) whosoever carried on his shoulders the kavadi, signifying the two hills and visited the temple on a vow should be blessed; and 2) he should be given the priviledge of standing sentinel at the entrance to the hill. Hence we have the Idumban shrine half-way up the hill where every pilgrim is expected to offer obeisance to Idumban before entering the temple of Dandayudhapani Swami. Since then, pilgrims to Palani bring their offerings on their shoulders in a kavadi. The custom has spread from Palani to all Muruga shrines.
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| Anyone can carry Kavadi |
Muruga, in His aspect as Lord Dandayudhapani, stands for tyaagam or renunciation. Eschewing all wordly possessions, the only apparel He has chosen to retain is a loincloth called kaupeenam. But His bhaktars never tire of offering Him costly garments and enriching His wardrobe with luxurious royal clothes which are used to adorn Him when His devotees yearn to see the Lord in the vesture of a King. For indeed, His state is that of a Swami or sovereign Lord.
from Palani: The Hill Temple of Muruga (Madras, 1975) by Somalay for Arulmigu Dandayudhapani Swami Temple, Palani.For contributions and further information please contact: The Joint Commissioner/Executive Officer
Arulmigu Dandayudhapani Swami Devasthanam Office
Adivaram Palani - 624 601 India
Tel. (91) 04545-41417 or 42236
Thaipoosam Cavadee Festival (19 January)
Cavadee by Hindus of Tamil origin in honour of Kartikeya, the elder son of Siva. Cavadee is among the most impressive
hindu events: devotees with their tongues, cheeks and body pierced with needles, hooks and skewers, dance their way
trance-like to the temple carrying the `Cavadee' - a wooden arch covered with flowers with a pot of milk at each end of
its base. The Cavadee is placed before the deity in the temple. At this point, despite the long, hot trek the milk
should not be curdled. For some, the penance is even more harrowing because temples are sometimes located on mountain
slopes.
The ‘kavadee’ most commonly seen in Mauritius are the ‘pushpa kavadee’ (flower kavadee) and ‘paal kavadee’ (milk kavadee). But there are other types of kavadee as well. In earlier days some devotees used to carry fish as offering instead of milk. On the eve of the festival the penitent who had vowed to carry the ‘Matchak Kavadee’ (fish kavadee) would be shown in a dream the exact place where he would find two fishes. The next morning he would go to the place and would easily catch the fish in a piece of linen used as a net. He would cut each into two halves and put them separately in two earthen pots containing water which he would then tie to his kavadee.
After the ceremony at the temple, the devotee would go back to the river and open the pots. The two fishes would have come back to life in the meantime and the separated halves would have joined together and the fish would leap out of the pots into the river. It was on the occasion of the
‘Sittireye Parouvam’ in 1967 that the ‘fish kavadee’was last performed by an old man named Manmootoo Chellambrum at St Hubert. This miracle was witnessed by hundreds of people among whom were several journalists who published the feat in their papers”.
Tamils worship Muruga with great love and devotion. Many Tamils are called after one of the several names of Muruga: Vel, Velan, Moorghen or Murugan, Soopaya short for Subramanian or Soopramanien, Kadirvelan, Kumaran or Kumara, Thandayudapaani, Palani, Palanisami, Palamiyandee, Swamynaden, Ku marasawmy, Kandasami, Kandan, Sooben, Muth uvel, Mootoosamy, Armoogum or Arumugam.
The Muruga cult is more widespread in Tamil Nadu than anywhere else in India, although worship is offered in many parts of North India as well. People vow to carry a kavadee for various reasons: because of serious health problems or
other failures, or as penance for wrongs done to someone else. There is a ‘janma kavadee’ i.e lifelong kavadee which parents vow when their children suffer from an incurable disease.
In the opinion of some learned people ‘kavadee’ may represent man’s unconscious desire to lay at the feet of God all his burdens and go away with His blessings. It is also a form of purificatory sacrifice — by self-inflicted suffering the penitent washes away his sins and becomes ‘pure’.
Kavadee also symbolises the triumph of good over evil. According to the Hindus our era is the ‘Kali Yug’ (the black era) dominated by irreligion, injustice, violence and evil. The ‘vel’ of Muruga symbolises the spear of victory that will eventually restore peace and harmony in the world. It will destroy arrogance and hypocrisy, violence and injustice — and man will emerge from the ashes of sin and evil like ldumban redeemed.
The Tamils here seem to have evolved their cultural heritage or was it possible for their forefathers were a different breed from their own village unique tradition?
Mauritius is a multi cultural melting pot. Statistics say there are 87
denominations on the island. Religion and politics are the pet occupations of
the population.
Hinduism is the most practised religion which accounts for almost 52% of the
population. Christianity gathers 25% of the people whereas Islam is practised by
more than 20% and various other rites of worship conclude the picture. It is
therefore only natural that apart from the international religious festivities
such as Christmas and Eid there are a few others which are less common across
the world but which are celebrated in very spectacular and colourful fashion and
they can truly be qualified as ‘feasts for the ears and eyes’.
CAVADEE is a very popular Hindu celebration which always draws crowds within the
whole population. It is very spectacular for onlookers as the participants are
often in a trance and are pierced with needles on several parts of their bodies
in sign of repentance while they carry flower decorated arches on their bare
shoulders.
Everywhere on the island, Mauritians of the Tamil faith celebrated the Thaipoosam Cavadee, the most important festival of this community. It is a remarkable expression of religious fervour and sacrifice. The event is marked by the striking processions of the devotees carrying their colourful cavadees to the temples, dancing and singing to the sounds of religious music. The devotees, their bodies pierced with needles (called vels), wear only fuchsia-coloured clothes and walk barefooted despite the scorching roads, accompanied by family and friends. The festival is preceded by 10 days of fasting and prayers.
This festival takes its root from an ancient Tamil legend, which tells the story of Idumban, a disciple of the guru Agattiyar. The guru ordered his disciple to go in the mountains and to bring down 2 summits attached to his cavadee (which is a simple wooden stick used to carry loads). On the way down, the god Muruga transformed himself into a little boy and hid in one of the peaks in order to make the cavadee heavier. Poor Idumban did not recognise his god and fights with the boy. Muruga killed him with a spear but the guru prayed to the god Muruga to bring Idumban back to life. The prayers are answered and Idumban forgiven. This is the reason why the followers believe that their prayers will be answered and their past sins forgiven when they go through the rituals and carry their cavadee to the temple.
These Tamil ceremonies are not only awesome to behold, they are also living examples of the physical and spiritual heights Man can reach when forgetting
self, he takes refuge in God.
Of all the festivals which Mauritian Tamils celebrate, Kavadee is the most popular and the most colourful. Kavadee festivals are held several times during
the year, but the most popular one known as ‘Thai Poosam Kavadee’ is held in the months of January and February during which devotees experience moments of glorious spirituality.
This festival is dedicated to Muruga or Murugan, the younger son of Lord Shiva and Uma. It is a solemn occasion on which the entire Tamil community
demonstrates with dignity and fervour their affection and allegiance to Lord Muruga.
The date and time of the celebration is fixed according to the Tamil calendar in consultation with the officiating priest of the temple. The ten days preceding the festival itself are
considered to be sacred. A flag (‘Kodi’) emblazoned with a cock (‘séval’) is hoisted upon the flag-mast (‘kodi maram’) found in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Devotees fast for 10 whole days before Kavadee. Passion
and pride, hate and envy are gradually purged from the soul during the fasting period, leaving the mind and heart purer. Abstinence from sensual gratification leads to the liberation of the self. Devotees have to be
clean in thought, word and deed. Everyday devotees take a bath with more than usual thoroughness. They cannot touch food prepared outside their home. Non-vegetarian food is strictly forbidden. Everyday they go to
the ‘kovil’ (temple) with offerings such as coconut, fruits, camphor, perfumed sticks, perfumed water, saffron water, oil, sacred ash (‘thiruneeru’) which they carry in a clean basket, kept apart for this purpose.
What.is.Cavadee
Cavadee, Cavadee, this word resounds like a divine incantation, and whose origin seems to come from time immemorial...
Indeed, Cavadee, a ceremony accompanied by strange tribal rituals, originates from an ancient Tamil legend. It is the story of Idumban, a highly symbolic name, which means “arrogant”. This man was a reformed bandit and a disciple of a guru known as Agattiyar. One day, the latter ordered: “Set off for the mountains, Idumban, and bring me back the two summits! You will attach them at the ends of a cavadee (the cavadee, or kavadi, is a simple yoke, or in other words, a stick that is used to carry loads). Idumban, obedient and faithful, departed for his journey accompanied by his wife. He firmly tied the two peaks to his yoke and set out to bring them back to Agattiyar. But, on the way, Lord Muruga, son of Shiva and Ouma, changed himself into a little boy and hid in one of the peaks so as to weigh down the load. However, Idumban soon discovered him and in his fury, as he could in no way recognise his God, he began to fight with the little boy. But, Muruga pierced him with his spear and the man died. Through their prayers, the wise Agattiyar and many other followers insistently asked for the divine grace of Idumban, with the result that their God finally accepted to resurrect the dead man. To thank Him for His Goodness, it was commonly decided that all those who will carry the Cavadee to the temple will have their wishes granted. As such, it will also be a good opportunity to thank him for the granted favours as well as to have the benefit of being closer to Him, to His wisdom and kindness.
Today, this legend reminds the followers that the road of faith is long and full of pitfalls... but do we not say that love and faith can make us achieve great things?
Thaipoosam.Cavadee
The festival is celebrated many times during the year; yet, the most grand and the most famous is “Thaipoosam Cavadee”, which usually takes place in either January or February. This festival day is a symbolic one for all the Tamils of Mauritius. The kodi (flag wearing the drawings of the “vel”: the spear that killed Idumban, and a peacock or cock) is hoisted up at the entrance of the temple, thus indicating the beginning of the fasting. A fast that will last for ten days. During this sacred period, the faithful must purify his soul and heart, whilst dispelling hatred, passion, arrogance and envy. Abstinence and prayers should be the main rules of his life. All those who wish to participate in the Cavadee must be both physically and spiritually prepared for this magnificent yet trying festival. A bracelet is tied around their wrists as a sign of commitment and obedience. As such, in the days that will follow, the penitents go to pray the Divinity and sing religious hymns at the temple. Offerings such as coconuts, fruits, milk, and saffron water are laid down at His feet...
The faithful settle down to the making of a cavadee, and also to other small yokes, which are symbols of Lord Muruga temple. Timber and bamboo are assembled to form a big arch, which at times can reach up to 3 metres in height! Then, they are adorned with leaves from the coconut tree, peacock’s feathers, flowers, limes, and sparkling cloth all sewn with tinkling small bells and miniature icons of their God.
The.Ritual
On the day of the festival, rituals follow after rituals: prayers, offerings and purifying baths. After the ceremonial ablutions in the river or the sea, milk is poured out in two small brass pots that are covered with a piece of cloth, before being tied up to the cavadee. Most of the faithful are dressed in fuchsia, whilst some men are stripped to the waist, their dark chests already offered. The forehead, shoulders, the back and chest are smeared with sacred ashes. Children are now staring with big curious or anxious eyes for the time of sacrifice has arrived.
The faithful offer their flesh to the “vels”, which are sharp needles, but also to long, metal or silver, pikes that pierce through their cheeks, forehead, tongue, as the believers are committed to silence! The vels represent the spear of Lord Muruga that killed Idumban; it must therefore be pricked in their back, chest, abdomen and legs.
About ten or so sharp needles are aligned fan-shaped on the chests, and as some of the former have a feather-like tip, this make us think about the feathers of birds, especially those of peacocks. Others, pricked in the mouth, are linked to small chains that are slowly swaying underneath the chins. There are no screams, no cries, these men remain dignified and stoic, as suffering is nothing and God is everything. The children, who since the age of six, have decided to participate in the Cavadee festival are silently wincing, a needle pierced in their tongue. It is usually said that it is the victory of good over evil.
Being concentrated helps them in forgetting the pain, and it is guaranteed that the effect of light on the needles is highly beneficial for the body... yet, some ancients, having decided not to participate again in these “piercing”, recount that these sharp needles and lethal hooks cannot be pierced anywhere. And that, alas, the simple needle of yesteryear, due to excess and exaggeration, have been transformed into bigger and bigger spikes, and at times several metres long too! The ancients are wise...
Procession
The procession starts to move, harnessed men, women in trance, the faithful, members of their family and friends pull the arch, everyone singing and moving with fervour and effort towards the Home of Muruga. Chains fixed by hooks clawed in the skin pull small wheeled-altars, similar to a child’s toys, itself. Some are wearing hobnailed shoes. Green lemons are hanging from the vels, their acid juice bleeding along the scorching hot metal.
The penitence is arduous and the heat intense. Those who do not pierce their tongue, tie a scarf on their mouth so as to keep complete silence. Some women have pierced their tongue with a needle linked to a small chain, similar to a silver fibula, a precious and rare piece of jewellery; they are carrying a pitcher full of “sacred milk” on their head. Those who are not amongst the followers and who have dared to come too close to the arranged pots on the arch are chased away with sticks. Due to their presence, the milk, pure and clear, run the risk of curdling before its arrival to the temple! The temple, most of the time located on the flank of a mountain so as to prompt for further hardships and sufferings, could have been in more accessible places such as along a river or near the sea.
The multicoloured crowd is moving forward slowly, to the rhythm of religious songs coming from loud speakers installed on a vehicle. The latter leads the procession and sometimes carries the statue of Lord Muruga, when it is not placed on a cart specially made for this purpose. Other Tamils, following the procession, are offering drinks to refresh the scorching throats; others are watering the naked feet sore from the scalding road. To one side of the temple, women have garnished leaves of the banana tree with rice and vegetarian food. Everyone will be able to satisfy his hunger once this agreed and willing agony ends.
The penitents enter the temple where benefactress statuettes of their Gods and Goddesses occupy the place of honour as well as the one of Lord Muruga, which is wearing a light contented smile. Little oil lamps are lighted: light, victory of good over evil, is offered to Lord Muruga. The faithful and penitents lay down their offerings such as coconuts, bananas, camphor, incense sticks, and flowers at the feet of the admired or feared Gods. The milk has not curdled! It will partly poured over the Divinity and the rest will be distributed to the faithful, who are thus rewarded. Music, songs and prayers accompany the removal of hooks and vels from the skins glistening with sweat and taught with pain. But, surprisingly enough, there is no blood oozing out. This sacrifice has guaranteed the purification of their soul. Tomorrow, the flag will be brought down and thus bringing an end to the ceremony.
Strengh.Courage
The Mauritian Tamils are a strong, courageous and often demanding minority. During this tribal ceremony, where we want to believe that all the sufferings on Earth can be defeated through faith, everybody would have been closer to their God, would have moved forward in their courage and been more strong in their being. Is all this suffering really justified and necessary? Is it real or fake? Without doubt, however, we cannot be the judges. But then, immense faith is known to make people achieve great things...
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). 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 (lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting. On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common. The most spectacular practice is the vel kavadi, essentially a portable altar up to two meters tall, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through 108 vels pierced into the skin on the chest and back. Fire walking and flagellation may also be practiced. It is claimed that devotees are able to enter a trance, feel no pain, do not bleed from their wounds and have no scars left behind. However, some of the more extreme masochistic practices have been criticized as dangerous and contrary to the spirit and intention of Hinduism.
Ethnic Chinese partaking in the celebration.
The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Singapore and Malaysia[citation needed]. The temple at the Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists[citation needed]. The procession to the caves starts at the Maha Mariamman Temple 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[citation needed].
In Palani, Tamil Nadu, India, Thai Pusam is celebrated with grandeur. Thousands of devotees flock to Palani and attend kavadi. 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.[1]
Muruga (also Murugan) (Tamil: முருகன்) is the most popular Hindu deity amongst Tamils of Tamil Nadu state in India and in the Tamil diaspora. He is also known by a number of other names, including Kartikeyan, Kumaran and Subramanian. Although he is popularly associated with the pan-Indian deity Skanda, there is evidence that Muruga worship, as seen today, has been a product of syncretism of an indigenous deity with Skanda.
Sati, the consort of Shiva immolated herself at the shakti of the Daksha Yagna, which was later destroyed by Shiva. Shakti was reborn as Uma, or Parvati the daughter of the mountain king Himavaan (the Himalayas). Shiva withdrew himself from the universe and engaged himself in yogic meditation in the Himalayas.
In the meanwhile, the demon Surapadman ravaged the earth and tormented its beings. It was realized by the gods that only the son born of Shiva and Parvati could lead the gods to victory over Tarakasuran, Surapadman and their demon companions. They plotted with Kaama, the lord of desire, to shoot a flower arrow at Shiva, as he sat in meditation, so as to make him fall in love with Parvati. When Kaama aimed his arrow at Shiva, he opened his third eye and burned him to ashes instantly. Upon hearing the pleas of Kama's wife Rati, he brought back Kama to life, in flesh and blood for her sake, and in a formless state for others.
His penance disturbed, Shiva fell in love with Parvati. However, the sparks of the fiery seed of Shiva were unbearable; even the fire God Agni could not bear them; this fire was then transported by the river Ganga into the Sara Vana forest, where Sara Vana Bhava was born. He was raised by the six Kartika damsels. Parvati combined these six babies into one with six faces, ie. Shanmukha. Shanmukha, or Kartikeya the supreme general of the devas, led the army of the devas to victory against the demons. The six sites at which Kartikeya sojourned while leading his armies against Surapadman are Tiruttanikai, Swamimalai, Tiruvavinankudi (Palani), Pazhamudirsolai, Tirupparamkunram and Tiruchendur. All these sites have ancient temples glorified by the tamil poems of Tirumurugaatruppadai of the Sangam period (prior to the 3rd century CE)
The adoration of Kartikeya
Historically, Kartikeya enjoyed immense popularity in the Indian subcontinent. One of the major Puranas, the Skanda Purana is dedicated to him. In the Bhagavad-Gita (Ch.10, Verse 24), in the middle of the battlefied "Kurukshetra", Krishna explaining his omnipresence, says - "Of generals I am Skanda, the lord of war" which at the time of the battle is filled with the world's greatest generals like Bhishma, Drona, Bheema, Duryodana, Dushasana, Yudhishtir, Drupatiputra, and Abhimanyu.
His presence in the religious and cultural sphere can be seen at least from the Gupta age. Two of the Gupta kings, Kumaragupta and Skandagupta were named after him. He is seen in the Gupta sculptures and in the temples of Ellora and Elephanta. As the commander of the divine armies, he became the patron of the ruling classes. His youth, beauty and bravery was much celebrated in the Sanskrit works like the Katha-Saritsagara. Kalidasa chose his birth as the subject of one of his epics.
However, his popularity in north India saw a great erosion from the Middle Ages. He slowly vanished from the scene and is today virtually unknown in these areas except in scholarly circles.The last vestige can be seen only in Bengal where he is worshipped during the Durga Puja along with Durga.
This surprising change may perhaps be attributed to the fact that he was strongly associated with the ruling classes and from the Middle Ages most of the ruling houses were Muslims.
Tamil Nadu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tamil Nadu (Tamil: தமிழ்நாடு pronunciation (help·info) English: Land of the Tamils, IPA: [t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ]) is a state at the southern tip of India. Tamil Nadu is bordered by Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Sri Lanka, which has a significant Tamil minority, lies off the southeast coast.
Tamil Nadu has had continuous human habitation since pre-historic times. Its long history and cultural traditions are among the oldest in the world. The ancient Tamil kingdoms of Chera, Chola, Pallava and Pandya are of very ancient origins. They patronised a mature culture which produced some of the oldest surviving literature in India.
Colonised by the East India Company, Tamil Nadu was eventually incorporated into the Madras Presidency. After the independence of India, the Madras State was created in 1956 based on linguistic boundaries. The name of the Madras State was changed to Tamil Nadu in the year 1969. The politics of Tamil Nadu has been dominated by DMK and AIADMK, who are of the Dravidian movement which agitated demanding concessions for the 'Dravidian' population of Tamil Nadu.
Lying on a low plain along the southeastern coast of the Indian peninsula, Tamil Nadu is bounded by the Eastern Ghats in the north and Nilgiri, Annamalai Hills, and Palakkad on the west. The state has large fertile areas along the Coromandel coast, the Palk strait, and the Gulf of Mannar. The fertile plains of Tamil Nadu are fed by rivers such as Kaveri, Palar, and Vaigai, and by the northeast monsoon. Traditionally a manufacturing state, Tamil Nadu is also a leading producer of agricultural products.
The sixth most populous state in the Indian Union, Tamil Nadu has the largest urban agglomeration nationwide. Increases in literacy have caused Tamil Nadu to report the second lowest decadal growth in population in India. Globalisation brought increased export opportunities, making Tamil Nadu the fifth largest economy among the states of India. The growing demands for skilled labour have caused the increased number of educational institutions in Tamil Nadu. It has the highest number of vocational training institutions in India. Chennai, which was known until 1996 as Madras, is the fourth largest city of India and the state capital. Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Salem and Thirunelveli are other large cities (Corporations) of Tamil Nadu.
The art and culture of Tamils are among the oldest in the world. Great literature, music, dance and architecture have evolved from Tamil Nadu over the past two millennia. Tamil Nadu provided the cradle in which the rich musical tradition of Carnatic music evolved. Many of the great composers such as Tyagaraja lived and flourished in Tamil Nadu. The film industry has also had a long history, its movies enjoying widespread popular support.
Tamil people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tamil people are an ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. The oldest Tamil communities are those of southern India and north-eastern Sri Lanka. There are also a number of Tamil emigrant communities scattered around the world, especially in central Sri Lanka, Malaysia, South Africa and Singapore, with more recent emigrants found in Australia, Canada, the United States, and Europe. There are an estimated 74 million Tamils around the world.
The art and architecture of the Tamil people contain some of the oldest traditions in the world. The music, dance, the temple architecture and the stylised sculptures favoured by the Tamil people are still being learnt and practiced. The classical language of Tamil, one of the oldest languages in India, has the oldest extant literature amongst other Dravidian languages.
Unlike many ethnic groups, Tamils were not governed by a single political entity during most of their history; Tamilakam, the traditional name for the Tamil lands, was politically united for only a brief period, between the 9th and 12th centuries, under the Chola Empire. The Tamil identity is primarily linguistic, although in recent times the definition has been broadened to include emigrants of Tamil descent who maintain Tamil cultural traditions, even if they no longer regularly speak the language. Tamils are ethnically, linguistically and culturally related to the other Dravidian peoples of the Indian subcontinent.
Tamil diaspora
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tamil diaspora is a term used to denote people of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan Tamil origin who have settled in many parts of the rest of India and Sri Lanka, or in other regions, particularly Malaysia, Singapore, the Middle East, Reunion, South Africa, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, French Caribbean islands, Europe, Australia and North America.
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