I still remember vividly, as a child; The Datuk Chachar Festival is a very scary festival for us the young children. This is due to horrified scene where some of the devotees were posses by the deity.
However, the most horrific scenes are where hooks were attached to the kavadi’s carriers and spears pierced through their cheeks during Datuk Chachar Festival.It is very similar like Thaipussam Festival.
Significant of this traditional festival
As I grew older and braver, I tried to seek to understand the reasons and significant for this traditional festival.
My findings show that Datuk Chachar Festival or locally known as Pesta Datuk Chachar is actually the Sri Muthu Mariamman Festival. The Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple is located at the Chitty village in Jalan Gajah Berang.
This temple is the famous place among the Melakan as the centre that offers treatments for those suffering Chicken Pox, (Malay known as Cacar), shingles or herpes. This festival is a week long affair in late of April or early of May.
Before the Festival
The devotees that carry the kavadies must perform a cleansing ritual. Among the rituals are fasting from eating read meat for 10 days before the festival, abstaining from having sexual relationship, perform prayers and chanting.
Two days before the Datuk Chachar Festivals, the Mariamman Goddess statue’s eyes at Sri Muthu Mariammman Temple will be “opened“. The next day, offering and prayers will be held at the temple.
Devotees who would like to “ask for favours or wishes“ will bring along the necessary items to the temple. While making their wishes to Mariamman Goddess, they will also mention how they will repay the favour.
The “re-payment“ options varies from one individual to another, some vow to carry the milk kavadi for 3 years while others will carry the kavadi for 5 years. It’s all up to the individual who makes the vow.
After their wishes have been granted or fulfilled, the devotees will carry the kavadi to fulfill their vows to Mariamman Goddess. However, there are some who carry the kavadi as a form of penance.
The festival begin....
Everyone (especially the kavadi carriers) will gather at the Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple as early as six in the morning for prayers and cleansing ritual.
The kavadies carriers will be blessed and bathe from the well water located in side the Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple. Then, the scary part of hooking and piercing of human flesh will be done.
As the kavadis carriers line up along the Harmony Street in Melaka, more and more onlookers gathers at the sidewalk. Now the kavadis carriers will make their way from Jalan Tukang Besi to Jalan Gajah Berang where Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple is located.
Along the way, you could see some shops placing a big pail full of waters and flowers. As the devotees passes by some off them will stop by this “bath“ centre to cool themselves. The owners or family members will scoop a bucket full of water and pour it over the heads of the devotees or “goddess“.
Once the devotees reach Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple at Jalan Gajah Berang, each and every pot of milk carried by the devotees will be brought into the temple.
This milk will be used by the monk or “sami“ to bathe Mariamman Goddess . Pots and pots of milk are poured down to bathe the Goddess.
This is also the place where the hooks and piercing items will be taken out. If you have a faint heart, it’s best not to see this unhook and un-pierce ritual.
Then the wound will be applied with the prayers ashes to heal them. In the afternoon, a banana leaf feast will be held at the temple to feed the hungry devotees.
If you think you would like to join or watch this uniquely Melaka festivals , do drop by Melaka next year somewhere late in April or early May.
