The Hindu holiday of Thaipusam is an important annual event that is observed by the Tamil people. On February 4 of this year, the celebration of the festival will take place. The festival of Thaipusam is celebrated not only in India but also in other countries such as Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Singapore.
The Hindu holiday known as Thaipusam takes place during the month of Makara, which is referred to as “Thai” in Tamil. The event is celebrated by populations that speak Tamil on the night of the full moon during the month of Thai. It is common for the celebration to coincide with the star Pushya, which is referred to as Poosam in Tamil.
The annual celebration of Thaipusam is also celebrated in Kerala, and the name for the Pushya star in Malayalam is Pooyam. Thaipusam is a Hindu holiday. As a result, the festival known as Thaipusam is referred to as Thaipooyam in the state of Kerala.
Date and Time
On this day, which is known as Thaipusam, people fast, pray, and perform penance in honour of the Pushya star, which is in its most prominent position. This year, the Poosam Nakshathram of Thaipusam will begin at 4.37 am on February 4 and will culminate at 6.42 am the following day, February 5. This event will take place in India.
History and Significance
The holiday known as Thaipusam is celebrated in honour of Lord Murugan, who is thought to be in possession of an unbeatable spear known as a Vel. On this day, the Goddess Parvati bestowed the Veda upon Lord Murugan, and Lord Murugan utilised it to annihilate the army of demons. This event is commemorated during the Thaipusam festival.
In addition to being a festival commemorating the triumph of good over evil, Thaipusam is also observed as a thanksgiving ceremony to Lord Murugan.
During this Hindu festival, believers pray to Lord Murugan, also known as Kartikeya, in order to seek repentance for their sins. Lord Murugan is the son of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, and he is also regarded as the universal granter of wishes. On this day, worshippers pray for forgiveness of their sins and deliverance from every difficulty they face.
Temples are where most of the festivities taking place during the festival may be found. Over the course of ten days, often referred to as Brahmotsavam, the festival of Thaipusam is observed in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu at the Palani Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani temple.
Dedicated to Lord Murugan or Kartikeya
The Hindu holiday of Thaipusam is celebrated in honour of the god Murugan, who is considered to be Shiva and Parvati’s son. Murugan is also known as Kartikeya, Subramaniam, Sanmukha, Shadanana, Skanda, and Guha.
It is believed that on this day, Goddess Parvati gave Lord Murugan a lance to assist him in vanquishing the demon army led by Tarakasura and in preventing the bad actions they were committing. As a result, the festival of Thaipusam is observed as a celebration of the triumph of good over evil.
How to Celebrate Thaipusam
On the day of Thaipusam, most people who worship Lord Murugan present him fruits and flowers of yellow or orange colour, which is his favourite colour. They also adorn themselves with clothes of the same colour as part of their worship rituals.
Many devotees travel to several temples dedicated to Murugan, both far and near, carrying milk, water, fruits, and flower offerings in pails that are suspended from yokes and that they carry on their shoulders.
This structure, which can be made of wood or bamboo and is referred to as a Kavadi, is draped in fabric and embellished with the feathers of a peacock, which is Lord Murugan’s vehicle.
Thaipusam in Southeast Asia
The celebrations of Thaipusam in Malaysia and Singapore are well-known for their lively spirit of joy. On the day of Thaipusam, the most well-known Kavadi pilgrimage takes place at the Batu Caves in Malaysia. Here, a great number of devotees carry the Kavadi in procession as they make their way to the Murugan temple.
Over one million people attend this event annually in the Batu Caves, which are located close to Kuala Lumpur. These caves are home to a number of Hindu sanctuaries as well as a statue of Lord Murugan that was revealed in January of 2006.
To reach the temple that sits atop the hill, pilgrims have to ascend a total of 272 steps. This Kavadi pilgrimage is attended by a significant number of people from other countries. Both the German Rainer Krieg, who went on his first Kavadi in the 1970s, and the Australian Carl Vedivella Belle, who has been participating in the pilgrimage for more than a decade, are notable examples of those who have made this journey.
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Body Piercing on Thaipusam
There are a great number of zealous devotees who will go so far as to torment their bodies in order to appease the Lord Murugan. Body piercing with hooks, skewers, and little lances called vel is therefore likely to play a significant role in the festivities around Thaipusam.
A good number of these devotees even have hooks attached to their bodies in order to pull chariots and other heavy goods. A great number of people pierce their tongues and cheeks in order to prevent themselves from speaking and to achieve complete attention on the Lord in this way.
The continuous drumming and chanting of “vel vel shakti vel” causes the majority of devotees to go into a trance during piercings like these. This is done to emphasise the power of the piercing.
Final Words
The Hindu holiday Thaipusam may appear to be just another Thanksgiving or New Year’s celebration at first glance.
It is a time to beseech Lord Murugan, the son of Lord Shiva, for forgiveness, good health, and peace in the upcoming year. This celebration takes place at the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February), which is February 4-5 this year.
But this is where things start to go crazy.
Many attendees partake in various acts of devotion and control over their senses as part of the festival’s rituals, including skin, tongue, or cheek piercing. Some people stroll over hot coals.
