Thaipusam festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil
month of Thai (January/February).The
word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the month, Thai,
and the name of a star, Pusam.The festival commemorates the occasion
when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel "spear"
so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
Thaipusam is associated with the Kavadi. It involves
Lord Muruga testing the determination of Idumban, the student of Sage Agasthya.
Another myth revolves around Lord Muruga eavesdropping into
the conversation between Lord Shiva and Parvati. Lord Shiva was rendering an
important mantra to Parvati and Lord Muruga listened to it by hiding. Parvati
discovered that Lord Muruga was eavesdropping and cursed him.
Lord Muruga acknowledged his mistake and started a penance.
Parvati was pleased and appeared before him with Lord Shiva. Thaipusam is
believed to be the day in which Parvati appeared before Lord Muruga.
Kavadi :
Carrying
kavadi is a practice of penance or prayaschittam. The tradition of
carrying kavadi was started by a great devotee of Lord Muruga, Idumban, who
worshipped Lord Murugan at the Palani Hills temple in Tamilnadu. He created the
first kavadi. It was a simple structure that consisted of a straight horizontal
branch of a tree with two small pots of milk tied at either end and decorated
by a wooden arch, flowers and peacock’s tail feathers. Idumban also pierced a
small vel shaped skewer across his cheeks. Idumban carried the kavadi from the
foothills of Palani to Lord Murugan’s Palani Andavan temple at the summit of
the hills and offered the milk for Lord Palani’s abishekam.
Since
those ancient times, the forms of kavadi have become more elaborate. During
Thaipusam these days devotees can be seen carrying kavadis as simple as a pot
of milk balanced on their heads to elaborate structures rising up to two meters
above the head with multiple body piercings. Devotees carrying kavadi usually
wear yellow garments. Yellow colour symbolizes purification.
Body Piercing on Thaipusam :
Many fanatical devotees go to such extent as to torture their
bodies to appease the Lord. So, a major feature of Thaipusam celebrations is
body piercing with hooks, skewers and small lances called 'vel'.Many of these
devotees even pull chariots and heavy objects with hooks attached to their
bodies. Many others pierce their tongue and cheek to impede speech and thereby
attain full concentration on the Lord. Most devotees enter into a trance during
such piercing due to the incessant drumming and chanting of "vel vel
shakti vel."
Preparations :
Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves
through prayer and fasting approximately 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 . 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.
Celebrations :
Thaipusam
is mainly celebrated in the Tamil speaking world. In India, it is celebrated in
the Southern State of Tamil Nadu and in parts of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Thaipusam celebration at the Batu Caves in Malaysia has become world famous. It
is also celebrated with much fervor in Singapore.
Devotees
carry Kavadi to Murugan temples on this day. Nowadays, Thaipusam celebrations
garner international attraction for the body piercing with vel by
devotees.
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