This project documents the Hindu ceremony of Cavadee, a ritual sacrifice and offering made by devotees during the worship of Lord Murugan, the Hindu God of War. The Cavadi symbolises a physical burden and is offered as a request for assistance or to balance a spiritual debt. During the festival, devotees embark on a pilgrimage, carrying various types of Cavadi, including a pot of milk and piercing their skin with vel skewers. The wooden structure carried on the devotees’ shoulders is decorated with flowers and peacock feathers, symbolizing the presence of Lord Murugan.
These photographs were taken in 2008 during a year of personal reflection, to try and understand the Mauritian heritage whilst maintaining a Western perspective.
