Besides being Good Friday, the 30 of March 2018 – being the day of the full moon – also saw several other religious festivals being celebrated. One, Panguni Uthiram, is celebrated by the Hindus on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Panguni. The celebration of the festival is an especially colourful one at the Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple and involves a kavadi procession that goes back to the latter days of the Naval Base when the temple was located off Canberra Road. This year’s celebration was also of special significance – being the first to be held at its newly consecrated rebuilt temple building.
The rebuilt Holy Tree Balasubramaniar Temple. It was consecrated in February this year.
The sugarcane kavadi
Seen at yesterday’s procession: a sugarcane kavadi. The kavadi is less commonly seen and is one with a baby slung from stalks of sugarcane that have been tied together, carried by the baby’s parents. The kavadi is used by couples to offer gratitude to Lord Murugan for the blessing of a baby.
More photographs from the procession:
Panguni Uthiram in previous years:
- Panguni Uthiram 2016: The Full Moon of Panguni / Northern Singapore’s Chariot Procession
- Panguni Uthiram 2015: Panguni Uthiram 2015 in photos
- Panguni Uthiram 2014: Colours of April
- Panguni Uthiram 2013: The Silver Chariot returns
- Panguni Uthiram 2012: The sun rises on a Sembawang tradition
- Panguni Uthiram 2011: A lesser known Hindu festival with a Kavadi procession