SEYCHELLES, January 30, 2002: A flamboyant religious procession by the Hindu community was staged through the streets of Victoria in commemoration of the birthday of Lord Murugan. Popularly known as Thaipoosam Kavadi, the procession started at the Navasakthi Vinayagar temple where the devotees walked through the streets and back to the temple. The procession was made up of a group of 30 devotees called the Algo Kavadi who carried the semi-circular metal structures (the Kavadis) on their shoulders, some 15 others (the Patkavadi) who carried some wooden structures and a third group of some 20 women called Paalkudam carrying milk pots on their heads. The onlookers were attracted to the procession by the lure of traditional Hindu beats that echoed through the streets.
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