Facts: The real reasons for the music instrument ban during Thaipusam

For those unaware of the reasons for the music instrument ban during Thaipusam, I think this ancient newspaper clipping will explain quite clearly.

And to whoever saying that Singaporean Indians are being discriminated against and using the "noisy" lion dance as a comparison, please read the highlighted k.

This ban is only for religious foot procession which only our Hindu bros and sis have this privilege to walk on the streets for religious purposes. Other races are banned from doing religious walking leh.

Click to expand...

So this year Ching-gay, there will be no musical instruments allowed to play on the route..???

So, for one's final journey, one and only one to Mandai crematorium, no more Beautiful Sunday ( if you so happen to go off on Sunday) song to be played..?

How solemn and boring even in death for Singaporeans...

( Fook that bloody pinoy, who started all this with her child crying).

This is the first time that I am fed-up with a foreigner.

This is what happens when PAP is in charge.

On legal noises and illegal noises in Singapore

Dear All,
We are reaching 6,000 likes and still counting. Today I will draft a letter to our Prime Minister, Singapore Police Force, Hindu Endowment Board and to other Ministry’s.

I will also request to have join talks with all agency pertaining Thaipusam which includes HEB on the issues we all have been facing and also the feedback given to me.

I have been busy since yesterday replying to all messages (200+) and sourcing out more information and feedback.

I have received many messages to show my identity on who is behind this page. Meanwhile I will not disclose my identity until action have been taken for all of us and I don’t need any recognition nor fame as I’m doing this for our own community and it’s about time we stand united and let our voices be heard.
I will also update everyone if there is any new information or reply.

Regards

Voice of Hindus

Re: On legal noises and illegal noises in Singapore

Is this legal???

Re: On legal noises and illegal noises in Singapore

Leongsam said:

Is this legal???

Click to expand...

This is completeLee Leegal.

Re: On legal noises and illegal noises in Singapore

fuck, million dollars salary Ministers this type of standard, shake head.

Leongsam said:

Is this legal???

Click to expand...

S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

[h=1]S ISWARAN: PLEASE DON'T OVERREACT ABOUT THE THAIPUSAM INCIDENT[/h]
Post date:
5 Feb 2015 - 8:20pm








Second Minister for Home Affairs, S Iswaran, has urged Singaporeans not to overreact about the Thaipusam incident and said that Singaporeans should remain calm and exercise restraint.
He said that we need to stand against a breakdown in law and order.
"In Singapore we are a multi-religious society. And all of us have to make certain accommodations and concessions,” he said. “There has to be mutual understanding and respect for each other's practices. Whilst we celebrate our respective festivals or events, we also need to take into account the need to maintain overall balance in society in order to preserve safety, law and order."
He also said that the ban on musical instruments during the Thaipusam procession was introduced because of past incidents of fights breaking out between competing groups which disrupted the procession.
He acknowledged that three people were arrested at the Thaipusam procession on Tuesday for playing drums.
Mr Iswaran said that Singaporeans shouldn’t allow the actions of a few to “disrupt the harmony” of Singapore.

=> Does it include the "few" FAP Traitors importing FTrash to marginalize SGs in their own country?







He also warned against spreading rumours about the incident and said that there are a lot of misrepresentations online.
It seems that Mr Iswaran is asking the public to stop sharing news about the incident as there may be some misinformation.
The incident is fast creating debate online about whether the strict rules around the Thaipusam procession are necessary and whether they are unfairly discriminating local Hindus.
Seems the government is going into damage control about the incident which has sparked a legitimate debate about policies.

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

William Lee · Top Commenter · Past President at Speak Singlish Council"He also said that the ban on musical instruments during the Thaipusam procession was introduced because of past incidents of fights breaking out between competing groups which disrupted the procession."

Huh ?? Sorry, I am not a Hindu and I do not have any Indian roots. However, to my understanding and some of my Indian friends agreed that my understanding/reason is only part of it. I understand that the drum used is to cheer their friend or friends who were carrying the kavadi, to encourage them to press on. At the same time, it helps to distract their "pain".

About fighting, as I had mentioned in my earlier post, Lion Dance troops also fought with each other on occasion where 2 or more rivalry troops met at the same precinct during the 70s. However, the Lion Dance Troop association step in to mediate and resolve it. We are, after all, rational Singaporeans, we may be quick temper but I think most of us are level headed people.
Reply · Like · 76 · 18 hours ago

• Mohsin Selamat · Top Commenter · Works at Home Sweet HomeWell said William Bro.
  Reply · Like · 10 · 18 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Shanthi Shunmugam · Teacher at Busy Bee Childcare CentreYeah,these peoples are creating stupid rules!! And they should come up wif a better ideas instead of laying such strict and harsh rules! Then what for thaipusam? Better dont have thaipusam la!! Thats the only day,we have to beg for leaves from the working place,fast wif pious and walk from serangoon rd all the way up to tank rd. Dont the HEB knows or are they pretending not to answer?
  Reply · Like · 15 · 17 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Shanthi Shunmugam · Teacher at Busy Bee Childcare CentreThe only day we prayed hard for the lord murgan,indian god and say thanks to him for helping us in our life. That too,these HEB spoiled it!!! We can control everything but not this!!
  Reply · Like · 6 · 17 hours ago
  
  
  
  
  

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

[h=1]RECAP: SINGING, DANCING, DRUMMING ALLOWED AT ST PATRICKS DAY PARADE AT SINGAPORE RIVER[/h]
Post date:
5 Feb 2015 - 7:01pm








RECAP: Feb 2014
The annual St Patrick's Day celebrations, which will take place on March 14 to 16, will see the Singapore River turning into a sea of green and adorned with shamrocks and all things Irish.

To top it off, the Harley Davidson Group will be providing a three-bike convoy to lead the parade held on the final day of the three-day event.

St Patrick's Day, which falls on the Mar 17, commemorates the life of the patron saint of Ireland and is also Ireland's National Day.

Organisers Singapore River One (SRO) said that this year's event will promise to celebrate the close historical and cultural, educational and community ties between the Republic of Ireland and Singapore.

The event will once again be graced by the Ambassador of Ireland to Singapore, Mr Joe Hayes. The guest of honour will be Irish Government Minister of State for Trade and Development, Mr Joe Costello, who is visiting Singapore for the occasion of St Patrick's Day.







Parade chairman, Colin MacDonald said: "Over the years, the St Patrick's Day Festival has grown to include the Irish, Singaporeans, other expatriates and even tourists. We hope even more people will get some green on and come experience what Ireland has to offer!"

The Singapore's St Patrick's Day event is the largest celebration in Southeast Asia, said the organisers, and visitors can expect to see all things Irish, including traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance and street performers.

The parade will be held on Mar 16, Sunday. Participants will be asked to assemble outside the Asian Civilization Museum (near the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles) at 2.30pm. The parade march will commence at 3.30pm, come rain or shine.

*Article first appeared on http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/singapore-river-turn-green-annual...

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

[h=1]THE HINDU ENDOWMENT BOARD IS NOT SPEAKING UP FOR LOCAL HINDUS![/h]
Post date:
5 Feb 2015 - 6:32pm








The Hindu Endowment Board (HEB) is supposed to represent the fair interests of all Singaporean Hindus. But they are not doing so when initiating blanket ban of musical instruments like urumi drum for Thaipusam etc.
They are not lobbying for the interests of fellow Singaporean Hindus as many have commented in the fb and other social media after the Thaipusam incident.
Even fellow Singaporeans of Malay and Chinese races have stepped up support for our fellow Singaporean Hindus and voiced out for the closure of the roads and a public holiday for Thaipusam instead of just a miserable lane allocated to their procession along a congested road.
Even the F1 Race which has nothing to do with Singapore's culture, is allowed to close numerous roads in the middle of the CBD!






Singaporeans of all races have stood together and supported the motion and call for a public holiday for Thaipusam as even Malaysia is doing so.
Thaipusam is a religious event and a colourful celebration of Singaporean Hindus' faith and ceremonial Kavadi carrying which is definitely a unique feature and tradition of Singapore which we should be proud of and even tourists should come and see.
Unfortunately the Elitists Hindu Endowment Board have never voiced out for the Singaporean Hindus as they should like our Malay/Chinese Singaporeans. They failed and act as though they are simply taking cues and proxy represntation for a ruling political party and its decided policies and wishes.
Marky, Another fellow Singaporean.
TRS Contributor

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/201...ltural-and-religious-expression-in-singapore/

Thaipusam & the right to cultural and religious expression in Singapore
February 5, 2015 by onlinecitizen in Opinions · 11 Comments

Devotee carrying a kavadi (Image by Lawrence Chong)By Sangeetha Thanapal
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated by Tamil Hindus in Singapore, and other parts of the world that have a sizeable Tamil population. It has recently come under certain rules and regulations which have been deemed unjust.

In the 1960s, Thaipusam was a public holiday in Singapore. Thaipusam was then removed as a public holiday under the pretext that each major race is given two holidays; the Chinese have Chinese New Year (CNY), which lasts for two days. Malays, who are predominantly Muslim, are given holidays for Hari Raya Haji and Hari Raya Puasa. Indians are given Deepavali and Vesak Day. Hence, Thaipusam could not be considered as a holiday for Hindus.

However, who observes Vesak Day? It is a Buddhist holiday. Buddhism originated in India, but by and large, the world’s biggest population of Buddhists, are East Asian. In Singapore, this means it is the Singaporean Chinese who are mostly Buddhist. Why is it gazetted as an Indian holiday when there are so few Indians celebrating it? In effect, this means the Chinese actually get three days of religious celebrations, and the Indians get one.
Singaporeans are fond of making comparisons between Singapore and Malaysia, remarking on the institutionalized racism in Malaysia that favours ethnic Malays. However, Thaipusam is a religious holiday in Malaysia. A country that is supposedly less fair than Singapore, is able treat its minorities with so much more respect and sensitivity than Singapore does.

In recent years, the state has gone further in curtailing expressions of music at Thaipusam. In 2011, playing music was banned at Thaipusam. Music and dance are vital parts of religious expression in Hinduism. Classical arts are almost entirely devotional in nature. Carnatic music, including Bharathanatyam, are demonstrations of love for God. In Hinduism, music is one pathway to realizing God. The state displays not just insensitivity, but a basic lack of understanding of the role of music and dance in religious expression in this case. During Thaipusam, the music and dance are meant to lift the spirits of devotees who are engaged in difficult and arduous undertakings. Mind you, these are not actually laws. No one playing music at Thaipusam has broken any laws. It is important to point this out.These are police regulations, supported by a toothless Hindu Endowment Board, that are in effect.

The official state line is that these guidelines have been around since 1973, but not enforced. So why are they being enforced now? Why selectively as well, towards the Tamil-Hindu population in Singapore? Why are these rules not enforced for lion dance? There are Getai shows, the Chingay Parade and Chinese cultural programs all over every neighborhood that do not seem to fall under these regulations. What about bothersome non-religious activities? The F1 race closes down the roads in town for three days straight. It is extremely loud. But that is an inconvenience the state welcomes. Is it because it caters to the expatriate crowd in Singapore? Are Singaporean Indians just worth less to them?

This is how institutionalized racism works in Singapore. It is racism enacted on an ethnic minority that is already numerically vulnerable. To treat Indians as less important and to show cavalier disregard for an ethnic community that has voiced its needs time and time again, while privileging others, is outright racism.

If the ban is on all religious processions, then I expect that come Chinese New Year, lion dance should be performed without music or drums. That is the only way this is fair. If the CNY festival goes on as per usual, the government is making clear to everyone that it is Indians it is discriminating against. If so, the only conclusion we can come to, is that this state and its police are racist.

There are many religious expressions in Singapore that are not welcomed by others. In fact, joss stick burning has been known to increase asthma attacks in Singapore. This is an expression of religiosity that is actually harmful. Not just the Chinese, but other ethnic minorities as well have to tolerate the smoke every time the Hungry Ghost Festival comes along. Singaporean doctors actually state that “patients pinpoint the festival as the problem.”
Why does the government not do anything about this? It is literally putting peoples’ health at risk. Does the government care more about the convenience of the rich living in town (apparently they banned instruments also due to some complaints from residents in the area of the Thaipusam procession) than the health of those living in HDB flats in Singapore?

The Hindu Endowment Board is in charge of presenting these Thaipusam guidelines. They have not done so before 2011. They have offered no explanation as to why they felt 2011 was the year they felt the need to publicize, and subsequently have the police enforce them. The HEB issues these guidelines to every Kavadi taker and requires their signature on it.

I am not sure what the board thinks they are endowing, but it is definitely not a Thaipusam Singaporean Tamils want.

During this year’s Thaipusam, a disturbing video of police brutality against Indian processioners taken by a bystander was shared on Facebook. In it, we see policemen yelling at Indian devotees, who are not seen doing anything besides standing on the road. They are also seen manhandling a participant. A witness reports the event as follows,“… about 15 police kicked literally on that guy… it seems the police used unwanted words over a conversation just because they played the urumi (a traditional drum)…furthermore the guys’ wife’s neck was also grabbed by a male police and they immediately ask the officers to human cordon the place.”



This is uncalled for. The police are behaving in a manner that is threatening and violent, while at a religious event. The latest update on this is that the police have arrested three men over the issue. Let’s all think about this for a moment. The Singapore Police Force has arrested people for playing music. It is difficult to think of anything more ridiculous than that. Maybe what we need are authorities with better manners, who instead of herding ‘minority cattle’ by screaming at the top of their voice, are able to treat us as human beings.

Indians need to stop sitting on the sidelines thinking our representatives in Parliament or that the HEB will do anything for us. We need to make clear that we are not willing to be treated like this and that we will no longer be accepting this situation.

Two things need to happen:

A) The ban on music must be removed. It is unfair, unjust and plainly racist. It is also an affront to religious expression.
B) Thaipusam needs to be made a holiday, and Vesak Day should not be considered as a holiday for Indians.

For the first, please write letters & e-mails to HEB demanding they do their jobs by protecting Tamil-Hindu traditions.

Another suggestion is that we stop participating in Thaipusam. The HEB makes a lot of money from Thaipusam. Come next Thaipusam, we must refuse to give them our money. They have so far done absolutely nothing because we have continued to accept these ridiculous rules and regulations. They have lost nothing. We must make them realize that they will. We should continue on with Thaipusam in our homes. But we should not allow HEB and the state to take our money all the while treating us as violent hooligans they must yell at and control. There is also a petition to reinstate music at Thaipusam.

As for the second where we need to have Thaipusam become a public holiday, I have created a petition for it. Please go to the petition to sign it.

Zora Neale Hurston said that, “If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” We have kept silent and grumbled amongst ourselves long enough. If we continue to do so, they will say that it is only a ‘few’ who are unhappy and that overall we agree with these preposterous rules. Instead, it is time to do something about it.
This note was first published at Sangeetha Thanapal’s facebook note.

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

makapaaa said:

To top it off, the Harley Davidson Group will be providing a three-bike convoy to lead the parade held on the final day of the three-day event.

Click to expand...

Harleys should be BANNED. They make far too much noise and the presence of Harleys may result in a clash between different biker gangs.

I urge the government to ban all Harleys from the streets. It could result in Mayhem.

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/pictures/Details/0d5c02a5-83e5-4b5c-a9c7-e1172dd93495

[h=3]Thaipusam, 1960s : general view[/h]

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This photograph shows kavadis being carried by members of the Chettiar Community, outside the Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown, one day prior to Thaipusam. Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community during a full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). The kavadi comes in various shapes and sizes, of which the kavadis carried by two bearers are the Vel Kavadis. It is a portable altar, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through spikes pierced into the skin, on the chest and back. Photograph donated by Heng Ngian Phuan and displayed at the Heritage Roadshow 2008. HRS3_651. Title devised by Library staff.

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

https://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/thaipusam/

[h=2]Vel, Vel, Vadivel: Thaipusam in Singapore[/h]30012010 Thaipusam is one of several religious festivals which makes a grey Singapore a little more colourful. It is one of those things that is still very much practiced in the same fashion as it had been when the first Tamil immigrants brought the tradition over from Tamil Nadu. I have been fascinated with the festival since my days as a schoolboy, particularly the sight of tongues, cheeks and various parts of the body pierced with vels, skewers or imaginary spears. Going to school along Bras Basah Road, I wasn’t far away from the “action”. This took place one a year during the Tamil month of Thai, on the day of the full moon. The procession of devotees carrying Kavadis of various forms and milk pots, accompanied by friends and family members and the sound of drums, musical instruments (only drums are permitted today) and the chants of “Vel, Vel, Vadivel“, through a four kilometre route from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road to the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple in Tank Road would pass close by at Dhoby Ghaut. As schoolboys, several of us would follow a part of the procession from Selegie Road to Penang Road and sometimes on to Tank Road, where some of the more daring ones would go inside the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple, where a vegetarian meals served on banana leaves would await them.

I have somehow never photographed the event and did so today. The tradition of Thaipusam provides interesting reading, but there would be enough of it already explained elsewhere so I guess it is best to let the photographs do the talking …
The Vel Kavadi is synonymous with Thaipusam in Singapore

The Vel Kavadi is adorned with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through 108 vels or skewers pierced into the skin on the chest and back.

Peacock feathers on a Kavadi.

Devotees carrying a milk pot and a simple Kavadi.

Milk Pots are carried by both men and women, young and old.

The procession on Selegie Road.

Kavadis along Selegie Road.

Devotees with milk pots along Selegie Road.

Devotee carrying a simple Kavadi.

Concentration and silence is maintained by the Kavadi bearers.

Devotees carrying milk pots.

Old and young carrying milk pots.

Hooks on the back of a devotee pulling a chariot.

More scenes and faces captured during the procession along Upper Serangoon and Selegie Roads today.







































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Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

http://everythingalsocomplain.com/2011/01/13/thaipusam-participants-dance-like-mad-people/

[h=2]Thaipusam participants dance like mad people[/h]Posted on January 13, 2011 by gdy2shoez
From ‘Thaipusam: Consult Hindu community first’, 13 Jan 2011, ST Forum
Funny how the Hindu Endowments board clamps down on a mere annual event when there are far noisier shenanigans that don’t involve Lord Murugan pleasing happening every single day, especially those that involve the more invasive setting of void decks. Isn’t Thaipusam usually celebrated on the streets where such noise would be drowned by the sluggish horns of heavy traffic anyway? Perhaps it has something to do with the hazardous props being employed during the festival, where any form of rowdiness and drunken mobbing would put kavadi carriers in grave danger, or endanger passers-by who may be impaled by a stray flying kavadi skewer or a piece of hot coal in any ensuing melee. Maybe some orgiastic merrymaking once in a while would do everyone some good, for who knows what an excess of stifling and quiet conformity would do to our usual practice of keeping our clothes on in public.We should be grateful we still have such practices today though, for half a century ago, Thaipusam was frowned upon entirely, a time when any form of trance-induced self mutilation, be it a hooked tongue or a nose stud, was deemed somewhat pathological and barbaric, as seen in the article 7 Feb 1950.

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

[video=youtube;PSaHHwy8x88]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSaHHwy8x88[/video]

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

[video=youtube;ZHf90zfhCmw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHf90zfhCmw[/video]

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

SDP: WHAT'S REALLY BEHIND THE RESTRICTION ON THAIPUSAM?


Post date:
5 Feb 2015 - 4:47pm








12 January 2011
Could the new Thaipusam regulations be a knee-jerk response to the gang-related street violence in recent months? The announcement of the restrictions by the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) seems to suggest so.
Under the new rules, no singing or music is allowed in the procession, and portable music equipment are banned as well. The 2011 guidelines states that "shouting and other forms of unruly behavior is prohibited; participants shall not paint their faces or bodies or wear any form of disguise".

Is shouting considered unruly behaviour? If it is, what do we do about people screaming (often vulgarity) during a football match? And if painting one's face is prohibited, then those who paint their faces during National Day Parades should be disallowed too. What about disguise? Are we also going to ban the lion dance and the bighead doll that accompanies the lion? What about the guy in the Tua Pek Kong costume giving out ang pows?
This is the problem with Singapore. The Government makes rules that arbitrarily discriminate against certain sections of the community. This creates resentment among the people.

When the authorities should be relaxing rules to allow for more spontaneity and expression, it does the opposite and enforces even more conformity in our society.

Singaporeans are, by and large, a tolerant people when it comes to religious and ethnic ceremonies. Hungry Ghost Festival getais, deity processions, Malay weddings, and Chinese funerals have been taking place frequently in our midst and for many decades.

So it seemed more than a little strange that one of the reasons cited was that "residents of new homes along the processions 4km route" had complained about the Thaipusam festival. The procession courses through parts of Orchard Road and Tank Road which means that it does not affect Singaporean heartlanders. So who are the real complainants? Are they Singaporeans?

What about the road closures? Are the complaints because of the inconvenience caused by the closure of the roads? If that's the case, then what about the road closures for the F1 race and National Day parades which occur for several days and weekends. The Thaipusam festival occurs only for one day in a year.

The pervasive social control the government wields on Singapore society applies not only to religious issues. In 1987, then Prime Minister and current Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said: "If we had not intervened on very personal matters - who your neighbour is, how you live, the noise you make, how you spit, or what language you use. We decide what is right. Never mind what the people think."

The potential for this resentment may not be evident now as the PAP continues to take a heavy-handed authoritarian approach on social issues against segments of the population. But there are indications that resentment is building up, and the PAP may find itself falling from its authoritarian grace simply because the people have had enough.

The PAP deflects political responsibility by getting the government-appointed HEB to announce the restrictions. It doesn't hide anything.

If the new rules are a reaction to the recent gang violence, then it is overkill. Does the police have evidence that Thaipusam festivities are related to violence?

The ban on drums, body painting and music removes the traditional and religious elements of Thaipusam. It will only disappoint those seeking religious solace as they take part in this annual event.

The PAP champions religious tolerance among Singaporeans. It does not seem to practice what it preaches.

Teoh Tian Jing is a member of the Young Democrats, the youth wing of the SDP.

Source: YourSDP.Org

Re: S iswaran: Please don't overreact about the thaipusam incident

Ass Iswaran:

Please fuck off from politics and fuck off from my GRC.