Thaipusam In Malaysia

"This is an important book by Carl Vadivella Belle which argues that Hinduism and its manifestations in the diaspora has important significance in binding not only the Hindus but also encourages 'others' to revisit Hinduism, especially in a multicultural society like Malaysia which is dominated by communally infused discourses structured upon race and religion."— Ajaya K. Sahoo, Editor, Journal of South Asian Diaspora "Dr Belle weaves his magical journey over nearly half a century, offering poignant and potent insights into the socio economic and spiritual realities of Hindus in Malaysia. Numerous books maybe available on Tamil Traditions and Hinduism in Malaysia, but none seem to have succinctly and encapsulated the very essence and heart of these veritable subjects. I would unreservedly recommend this book, to all those interested in matters pertaining to Indians and Hinduism in Malaysia."— Professor Bala Shanmugam, Academic Director, Federation University, Malaysia "This is a work of immense inspiration. Combining personal pilgrimage with ethnographic perseverance, it is at once a document of ritual power and cultural change and a biography of religious encounter. By becoming the religious Other, Carl Belle creates a new dimension in the understanding of Thaipusam as both ethnic and individual experience. Dauntlessly frank and insightful, it is without doubt a rare achievement."— Raymond Lee, Universiti Malaya (retired)

This book explores the festival of Thaipusam in terms of its own inner dynamics - the traditions and belief structures which ensure the festival's continuing relevance to Malaysian Hindus. It argues that Thaipusam reflects a growing sense of Hindu identity in Malaysia and an as yet inchoate unity. It contends that while the kavadi ritual provides profound meaning at the individual and group level, Thaipusam furnishes a public arena for and gives expression to a powerful Hindu resurgence, largely, though not exclusively, fuelled by Dravidian assertiveness. In situating the festival within the context of a Malaysia dominated by Malay and Islamic power brokers, a society in which both the Indian community and Hinduism are relegated to the margins, the book explores the festival of Thaipusam as a vehicle for mobilization of religious symbols and values which not only simultaneously articulate ethnicity and thus resist the forces which threaten cultural and religious integrity, but which also ultimately signal wider allegiances to the broader politico-cultural world of an imagined, immeasurably rich, and enduring Indo-Hindu civilization.

This edited volume containing thirty-five chapters focuses on three main contemporary issues: the phenomenon of "new Indians" in the past five decades, the impact of rising India on settled Indian communities, and the recent migrants. By examining these interrelated aspects, this study seeks to address questions like: what does "Rising India" mean to Indian communities in East Asia? How are members of Indian communities responding to India's rise? Will India pay greater attention to people of ...

An analysis of the Thaipusam festival of the Hindu Tamils of Malaysia and the vows they make to the god Murugan. It explores the meaning of vow fulfilment as reflected in social, economic and political divisions in the Tamil community, and the practice of ritual as a form of symbolic action.

Locating the Soul of Healing Performance in Malaysia will bring to the fore fundamental principles of healing performance practices in Malaysia which were once the soul of the community’s spiritual health beliefs. Healing performances in Malaysia have been performed, celebrated and reconstructed for many generations even before the advent of Hinduism and Buddhism in Malaysia, approximately since the 4th−5th century ad. These practices played an important role within the sociocultural context of ancient communities, as their traditional beliefs and world view accepted that the supernatural and the nether world coexisted with human beings in a parallel universe. This underlying acknowledgement of the unseen thus forms the basis of traditional Malaysian performance healing – its ’soul’ – be it healing in the physical or the spiritual and emotional context. Herein lies the difference between traditional healing in the Malaysian context compared to the western perspective. The different articles in this book will explore the elements and dynamics of various types of healing performances as well as the role and functions of shamans/healers in main teri, bageh, bobohizan, bebayuh, Thaipusam, sewang and kuda kepang mabuk. The inclusion of non-Malay forms of performance healing represents a major contribution of this book to previous studies in the area as the various articles rekindle discussion on a gradually vanishing resource of local knowledge while pointing towards a return to a shared heritage in confronting contemporary physical, mental and spiritual health issues. The collective ethos at the same time celebrates the diverse belief systems in Malaysia which on the whole remains united under an unstated respect for the existence of the supernatural and the nether world.

Divorce, separation, and remarriage have become a normative part of family life. These changes have led to a diversification of the behaviors, attitudes, and norms concerning marriage and family. To better comprehend these issues, this volume addresses topics including: marital instability step-parenting and extra-marital affairs, among others.

This text examines the development and practice of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity in Malaysia. Its analyses provide an insight into how established and charismatic religions fit into the framework of modernization and secularization throughout the world.