{"id":12565,"date":"2012-11-19T21:48:07","date_gmt":"2012-11-20T02:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=12565"},"modified":"2012-11-19T22:11:06","modified_gmt":"2012-11-20T03:11:06","slug":"strict-hindu-fast-of-kantha-shashti-underway-till-nov-20th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=12565","title":{"rendered":"Strict Hindu Fast of Kantha Shashti Underway Till Nov 20th"},"content":{"rendered":"

Text and Pix By Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Performance in the temple compound<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cK<\/strong>antha Shashti\u201d, known as the strictest fast is currently being observed by the Hindus all around the world. The fast began on the 14th of November, and will end on 20th of November, according to the Tamil Almanac.<\/p>\n

Devotees fast for six days to invoke blessings of Lord Murugan. It\u2019s a rare fast, most Hindus observe \u201cUpavaasam\u201d (complete fast without any meals) for six days, and at the end of the fast on the seventh day, at crack of dawn they conclude it with the \u201cPaaranai\u201d (vegetarian meals cooked and consumed before the sunrise).<\/p>\n

\u201cLord Murugan waged a war against the demon King \u201cSoorapathman\u201d and his army, who caused immense hardships to the \u201cThevars\u201d. Lord Murugan promised to save their lives from the demon King and his army.<\/p>\n

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[related mp3: Maruthamalai Mamaniye (Lord Murugan praised as The Great Pearl of Maruthamalai) ~ Violin Instrumental ~ By Kunnakkudi Vaithiyanathan ~ <\/em>]<\/p>\n

\u201cSoorapathman\u201d used various tactics to escape alive, but was killed on the sixth day by Lord Murugan with a \u201cVel\u201d (lance), gifted by his mother, and liberated the \u201cThevars\u201d from \u201cAsurars\u201d and their hassle.
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\n\u201cSooran Por\u201d is celebrated at the temples at dusk on the sixth day of the fast. Temples are decorated, courtyard is made to look like a battle field, idols of Lord Murugan and \u201cSoorapathman\u201d are decorated and taken out of the temple on a powerful parade to perform\u201d, says R.Venkadesa Iyer, Editor of the \u201cVaakkiya\u201d Tamil Almanac, published in Kokkuvil, Jaffna.<\/p>\n

Especially, unmarried women observe \u201cKantha Shashti\u201d to find a suitable life partner. Most women throng the temples everyday during the fast, and recite \u201cKantha Shashti Kavasam\u201d.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s believed, if one begins to fast \u201cKantha Shashti\u201d, it would be beneficial, if it is continued for six years annually without a break.<\/p>\n

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Enchanting Lord Murugan decorated with jewelleries and fresh flower garlands<\/p>\n

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Face to face battle in Bambalapitty<\/p>\n

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Decorated lance on a parade<\/p>\n

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Divine view of the temple<\/p>\n

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Performance in a circle<\/p>\n

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Beautiful garlands in Bambalapitty<\/p>\n

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Traditional musicians add fervour to the festival<\/p>\n

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Lord Murugan on a colourful parade<\/p>\n

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Performance at dusk<\/p>\n

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Fasting male devotee wears a “Thetpai”<\/p>\n

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Scene depicted in front of the temple<\/p>\n

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View of Sammaankodu Sri Kathirvelauthaswamy temple (popularly known as Maanikka Pillaiyaar temple) from Naattukkottai Nagaraththaar temple (popularly known as New Kathiresan temple) in Bambalapitty<\/p>\n

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Parade on Galle Road in Bambalapitty<\/p>\n

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Devotees to witness the battle<\/p>\n

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Heavy “Soora Pathman” is carried by men in many forms<\/p>\n

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Male devotees carry “Soora Pathman”<\/p>\n

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Many tactics used by “Soora Pathman”<\/p>\n

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Fire crackers are lit to hide “Soora Pathman” ~ via ~ passionparade<\/a><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Text and Pix By Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai \u201cKantha Shashti\u201d, known as the strictest fast is currently being observed by the Hindus all around the world. The fast began on the 14th of November, and will end on 20th of November, according to the Tamil Almanac. Devotees fast for six days to invoke blessings of Lord Murugan. …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Strict Hindu Fast of Kantha Shashti Underway Till Nov 20th’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12565"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12565"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12593,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12565\/revisions\/12593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}