Happy Karthigai!

Last Thursday was the Karthigai Festival. Not many of us are aware that it is one of the oldest festivals celebrated even before people began celebrating Navaratri and Deepavali. We celebrate Karthigai for three days and it takes place on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Karthigai.

The first day prayer is normally performed in the temples. We were at the Kepong Mariamman Temple to join the celebration. They had lots of oil lamps brightly lit and this one here is arranged in the form of the Shiva Lingam.

Part of the ceremony was to have a huge bonfire to signify the celebration, the temple committee carried this out while the priest perform the ritual.

The second day is normally carried out at our homes. We buy little lamps and get them ready right about dusk. The wick we used in our lamps are all made at home. Grandma is an expert at it, give her a roll of cotton and out comes 30 twisted pieces.

The lamps are arranged on the floor and kept at strategic spots to bring out the natural glow of our homes,thanks to the light from these lamps. Leave it to daddy to work out the art from such celebrations.