Indian communities usher in New Year

MALAYSIAN Indians whose roots can be traced to different parts of the Indian subcontinent have cause for celebration on April 14, 2009.

The largely Tamil community of Indians here, whose ancestors hail from Tamil Nadu and are of the Hindu faith, will welcome Varusha Pirappu or Puthandu, the Tamil New Year. They will be joined by the Ceylonese.

The Malayalees, with roots in Kerala state, celebrate Vishu, the Malayalee New Year, while Sikhs from the Punjab state will herald the establishment of the Khalsa through Vaisakhi (see accompanying articles).

Spick and span: Civil servant R. Amarendran, 47, (second from right) cleaning the family altar for the Tamil New Year celebrations today. Helping him are his children (from left) Hushanthani, 17, Rijina, 12, and Pavanisvaraan, eight. His wife C.Maligadavie, 47, was away at work.

April 14, 2009 also marks Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, and Aluth Avurudda, the Singhalese New Year.

The Telugus, originating from the state of Andhra Pradesh, got off to an early start to the celebrations by ushering in the Telugu New Year or Ugadhi on March 27.

Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said Puthandu is a religious celebration where the start of the new year is determined by consulting the panchangam or Hindu almanac.

“This year marks the 5,110th year of the Kaliyugha, one of the four stages of development that the world goes through as described in Hindu scriptures. It starts at 1.48am this year,” he said.

Meanwhile, MHS International Hindu Affairs chairman S.O. Paramsothi said the movement of the earth around the sun and the sun’s position on the Equator was imperative in deciding the time.

“It also denotes the first day of the Chitirai month, when, back in India, farmers do their ploughing in anticipation of a good harvest, while merchants see it as the start of the financial year,” he said.

Vaithilingam said the day before was also significant, as Hindus would obtain maruthaneer (herbal medicinal water) from temples for their hair bath the following morning.

“Temples experience large turnouts because Hindus believe in seeking blessings for the new year ahead of them. They’ll wear new clothes and eat vegetarian food for the day.

“Even if they are working, the office crowd would make it a point to visit the temple first, before going off to work,” he said, adding that the blessings of elders would also be sought.

An estimated 1.75 million people are expected to observe the Tamil New Year in Malaysia.

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Two reasons to celebrate

THE Sikh celebration of Vaisakhi or Vasakhi is unique because there are two reasons to celebrate.

Greater significance is placed on the birth of the Khalsa or the Sikh brotherhood, the collective body of Sikhs baptised by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of the Sikhs, in Punjab, India, in 1699.

From that day, the Sikhs have distinguished themselves with symbols called the Five Ks – kesh (uncut hair), kangha (wooden comb), karra (steel bangle), kirpan (sword) and kachera (inner garment).

Before the Khalsa’s birth, farmers in Punjab celebrated the harvest festival, which coincided with the solar equinox. The event culminated in joyous singing (gidda) and folk dancing (bhangra).

Inner sanctum: A Sikh volunteer keeping watch over the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book) at the Gurdwara Sahib in Petaling Jaya, as daily prayers are held leading up to Vaisakhi.

Sikh Naujawan Sabha representative Inderjeet Singh said Vaisakhi falls in the Vasakh month of the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar.

“Events leading up to Vaisakhi at a Gurdwara Sahib (Sikh house of worship) include the continuous recitation of scriptures from the 1,430-page Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book,” he added.

Kirtan or hymns are sung during the daily prayers and free vegetarian meals, often comprising chappati and dhall, are served to all.

Kajang Gurdwara Sahib committee member Amarjit Singh said another highlight of Vaisakhi was the changing of the nishan sahib, the saffron-coloured Sikh holy flag, where the base would be washed in milk as a sign of respect.

Selected gurdwara will feature performances by raghi (Sikh religious singers) and displays of Sikh martial arts called gatka as part of the Vaisakhi celebrations.

Inderjeet said raghi touring Malaysia this year include Bikramjit Singh, hailed as the Sikh religious idol, and Sikh convert Vikram Singh, formerly known as rockstar Vic Briggs, from the United Kingdom.

Gurdwara will feature a series of other activities like health awareness camps and blood donation drives.

At the Petaling Jaya Gurdwara Sahib, Dastaar Bandhi – a coming of age ceremony for young boys – will be held at 9am today, while the Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History (British Indian Army) during World War I and 2 will be held on April 19 from 10am till 4pm.