GREETINGS

Hari Om Pranamam Swamiji Recently the auspicious day of Skanda Shashti was observed. It was noted that several devotees take kavadis and have darshan in Lord Muruga temples.Apart from Thai pooyam days,it was also seen that many of the devotees who carry kavadi had their cheeks pierced with ‘shoolam’.It seems that they do such an action believing that it takes them closer to Bhagavan and obtain His blessings. Another kind of action by devotees is ‘parava kavadi’, ‘thookam’ (this word is usually used in South Kerala and I hope Swamiji is aware of such a worship). In this,it is seen that metal hooks are pierced on several parts of the body and the devotee hangs up on his skin,high in the air,as a bird. My humble question to Swamiji is, ‘Is such type of devotion,some kind of extreme step which looks barbarious, needed to please Bhagavan?’ Is there any relevance to this act with Hindu mythology? Is it not high time that we Hindus,let the devotees know that these actions are not necessary