Thaipusam Soundscapes

One thing that really struck my mom and I at yesterday's festival was how quiet it was. The chanting of "veil veil" and traditional kavadhi sindhu was what truly characterized Thaipusam for many of us. This is what keeps the energy of the festival high and often instrumental in whipping the devotees into a state of trance. It also serves a very very important purpose for the kavadei carriers - many forget the pain of the piercings and the distance they had to walk barefoot with the heavy kavadi on their shoulders. The chanting and the sacred songs are an important and integral part of the event. We noticed heavy police presence as well as many signs that said that various types of musical instruments are banned. I guess this is the urban reality - keeping "noise" levels low and not interrupting vehicular traffic flow on the 4km route that the devotees walk from Perumal road temple to the Chettiar temple. But there is also a more fundamental reason we believe - that many of the younger people are not familiar with the kavadhi sindhu - the traditional songs. Hence they are unable to recite it for the benefit of the kavadi bearers. As Britney and her gang dominates our airways our traditional songs get quickly displaced.