About:Festival Of Thaipusam

1)Hindu Celebrate In Singapura 2)Thaipusam-Wikipedia,the encyclpedia 3)Clebrating Thaipusam in Malaysia

Thaipusam
Thaipusamis a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). It is celebrated not only in countries where the Tamil community constitutes a majority, but also in countries where Tamil communities are smaller, such as Mauritius[1], Singapore[2] and Malaysia.[3] The word Thaipusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel "spear" so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadam. There is a misconception among people that Thaipusam marks Murugan's birthday; however, it is believed that Vaikhasi Vishakam, which falls in the Vaikhasi month (May/June), is Murugan's birthday.[4]

1)Hindu Celebrate In Singapura

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai. Devotees pray and make vows, when the prayers are answered they fulfill the vows by piercing parts of their body such as their cheeks, tongues, and backs before carrying a 'Kavadi' along a four kilometer route.

A devotee pulls his procession burden connected by hooks pierced in his back during the Thaipusam procession at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

A devotee has his tongue and cheeks pierced before taking part in the Thaipusam procession at Sri Srinivasa

Perumal Temple

Women carry milk pots on their heads as they start their Thaipusam procession at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

A devotee has his body pierced with hooks before taking part in the Thaipusam procession at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

A devotee has his tongue and cheeks pierced before taking part in the Thaipusam procession

1)Origin 2)Kavadi 2.1 Preparations 3)Celebrations

Origin
Skanda (or Murugan) was created during one of the battles between the Asuras (or to be more specific Soorapadman) and the Devas. At one point, the latter were defeated several times by the former. The Devas were unable to resist the onslaught of the Asura forces. In despair, they approached Shiva and entreated to give them an able leader under whose heroic leadership they might obtain victory over the Asuras. They surrendered themselves completely and prayed to Shiva. Shiva granted their request by creating the mighty warrior, Skanda, out of his own power or Achintya Shakti. He at once assumed leadership of the celestial forces, inspired them and defeated the Asura forces and to recognize that day the people created the festival

Kavadi
Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War.[5] It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.[6] Generally, Hindus take a vow to offer a kavadi to idol for the purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity. For instance, if the devotee's son is laid up with a fatal disease, he would pray to Shanmuga to grant the boy a lease of life in return for which the devotee would take a vow to dedicate a kavadi to Him.

Preparations Devotees like Avinash Gooransingh prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting approx-48 days before Thaipusam. Kavadi-bearers have to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the kavadi and at the time of offering it to Murugan. The kavadi-bearer observes celibacy and take only pure, Satvik food, once a day, while continuously thinking of God. On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common. The simplest kavadi is a semicircular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders,

to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit.

Celebrations In Palani, Tamil Nadu, India, Thousands of devotees flock to Palani and attend kavadi. According to palani.org, "The number of kavadis reaching Palani for Thai Pusam is about 10,000. For Pankuni Uttiram, 50,000 kavadis arrive. It is kavadi to your right, kavadi to your left, kavadi in front of you, kavadi behind you, kavadi above you and kavadi below you."[7] In Vadalur (Cudalore dist.) near Neyveli, Saint Vallalar (18231874) (Ramalinga Adigalar)21-01-1872 Established Sathya Gnana Sabai,(Lotus Temple) inside he kept 7 Screens and Camphor lighted Jothi, every thaipoosam day early morning 6pm then 10pm,afternoon 1 pm then,evening 7 pm, then night 10 pm, and next day early morning 5.30,am like six time full screen Jothi Darisan showing,in this temple. and every monthly Poosam day evening 7 pm half screen Jothi Darshan performing.This was established in the year 1872,the Arutperumjothi Darshan. can be seen monthly once and Yearly six times only, The state Government Declare local Holiday for the cudalore district.

In Haripad Subramayawsami Temple, Alapuzha, Kerala is famous for Kavadiyattom.Almost 5000 kavadis coming to the temple from many temples in the locality. garga In Vaikom, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted with Kaavadis at Udayanapuram Subramanya temple. Devotees take panchamritha kaavadi, paal kaavadi, bhasma kaavadi, etc. In Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, Thai Pusam festival is conducted at Satyavageeswara temple. The utsava moorthy is taken in procession on a vahanam (mount). There is nel(Paddy)parai alappu or Nel alavu, as a ritual performed for good luck and prosperity.
In Nallur, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Thai Pusam festival is conducted at Nallur Kandhasamy Temple. Many Tamil devotees irrespective of religion take part in celebrations. Even Tamils from Roman Catholic faith and Muslims take part in Thai Pusam celebrations and take Kavadis.

3)Clebrating Thaipusam in Malaysia

Devotees will start by cleansing their bodies through fasting and abstinence, and usually observe a vegetarian diet for a certain period of time. On the day of Thaipusam, pilgrims will wash themselves in nearby rivers as well as have their heads shaved.

The newly shaven head is then smeared with sandalwood, a pale yellow powder which is holy to the Hindus.

In a trance, the devotees will then make their way to the temple where they will endure great flights of stairs to the cave.

The Kavadi Devotees undergo the walk, carrying containers of milk, water, fruits and floral tributes as offerings to Lord Murugan either by hand or on their heads.

However some devotees will carry the offerings on their shoulders using decorated carriers called kavadi. The carrying of the kavadi is known to be one of the most fascinating sights of the festival. The kavadi can be as simple as a wooden stock with two baskets at each ends, slung across the shoulder. But some kavadi are decorated with flowers and peacock feathers as well as adorned with many brass bells.

There are also other types of kavadi that involve hooks, skewers and small lances called vel being stuck into the devotees body, where pots and fruits are hung.

Some hooks are attached to the backs of the devotees and they are either pulled by another walking behind or hung on chariots and decorated bullock carts.

As the chariot passes the streets, other devotees smash coconuts as offerings and give thanks to the deity as well as for the devout to cleanse themselves of sin.

Many pierce their tongues and cheeks using spears as a constant reminder of the Lord, where their speech is impaired and therefore they have full concentration and better endurance in the walk. Consecrated ash is sprinkled over the hooks and skewers before they are removed from the flesh of the devotees. There is no blood shed during the process of piercing and removal of the hooks.

Malaysia is a multicultural country and although Thaipusam is usually celebrated by the Indians, there have been sights of people from other races and ethnic groups that bear the kavadi and pay homage to Lord Murugan. People from all over the world come to witness this exciting festival unravel before their eyes.

The End