1 Tai Pusam.—The Hindu festival, which goes by the name “Tai Pusam”,
is observed on the day over which the asterism Pushya (cancri) presides, in
the Tamil month of Tai corresponding to the English months
January–February. The day generally falls on the full-moon day of the
month. The planet Brihaspati or Guru (Jupiter) is said to be the presiding
deity of the asterism ‘Pushya’ and consequently worship offered to the
asterism Pushya is considered to have special merit, since Brihaspati
symbolises wisdom and the Hindus consider him to be the preceptor of the
Gods, and one of the most important of the seven planets if not the
important planet. A bath in a sacred river on this day is considered to be
very meritorious and people of all sorts, both men and women, young and
old, flock to the nearest one for the purpose. The place called
Tiruvidaimarudur in the Tanjore District is one of the important places
where this festival is celebrated.
2 Thaipusam or Thaipoosam is a festival celebrated by the Tamil
community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February).
The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel
"spear" so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman (Śūrapadmā). The
word *Thaipusam* is a combination of the name of the month, *Thai*, and the
name of a star, *Pusam*. This particular star is at its highest point
during the festival.
3 For instance a inscription of Vijayanagar regent Saluva
Narasingaraya Udaiyar issued in the Saka era 1388 (A.D.1466) on the 9th day
of Markazhi month in the Sri Viya year is found on the north side wall of
the cella of the Adavalleswarar temple. Further the record registers a gift
of land for the celebration of the Annual festivals in the month of
Chittirai and Thai Pusam for the maintenance of flower garden Nandavanam
for flower offerings to the Presiding deity. The record also states that
the administrative officials viz. Thammarasar, Anmarasar and Aravasaram
were existed during the Vijayanagar rule.
4 Thaipusam is a temple festival celebrated by Hindus of Tamil descent
in Singapore.
1 It is probably the single most important public rite observed by the
community every year between January 14 and February 14.
2 Most Hindu festivals fall either on full-moon day (Punarpusam) or on
new-moon day (Amavasi).
3 “Thai Pusam” occurs on the full moon day in the Tamil month, Thai
(January–February).
4 Thaipusam is actually derived from thai which means “10th”, and pusam
meaning “when the moon is at its brightest”.
5 It is thus celebrated in the month of Thai (10th month according to the
Tamil Almanac) on the day when the moon passes through the star “Pusam”.
6 Thaipusam is a day of prayers and penance.
7 Dedicated to Lord Subramaniam, also known as Lord Murugan,
8 a major South Indian god,
9 the deity of youth, power and virtue, this festival is a time for
repentance for devotees with celebrations carried out mainly at the temple.
5 Preparations
Preparations for Thaipusam start months in advance. But the conditioning of
the body and mind is done about a week before the festival itself.
10 Devotees prepare themselves spiritually with extensive prayer and
fasting before performing acts of penance or thanksgiving like carrying a
kavadi. The basic kavadi consists of a short wooden pole surmounted by a
wooden arch, decorated with peacock feathers (symbolic of Murugan, as the
peacock is his mascot), margosa leaves and other materials.
11 Often, sharp skewers are pierced through the tongues, cheeks and bodies
of kavadi-bearers as a practice of self-mortification.
12 Women, on the other hand, carry vessels with offerings that include
fruits, flowers and pots of milk.
13 Thaipusam was a public holiday in Singapore until 1968
14 when Bill No. 33/68 was effected in the Holidays (Amendment) Act, 1968.
15 This change was made in consultation with the Hindu Advisory Board.
6 Legend
This Hindu festival commemorates the feats of the Hindu deity, Lord
Subramaniam, son of Lord Siva and Goddess Sakti. According to the Hindu
mythological book, “Skanda Purana,” Thaipusam was the day when Lord
Subramaniam appeared before his devotees mounted on a peacock which has
come to be known as his “vahana”’ or vehicle. It also acknowledges
Subramaniam’s triumph over the evil forces. According to the legend, devas
or celestial beings at one time were so plagued by asura, or demons, that
they pleaded with Lord Siva, to help them. Touched by their pleas, Lord
Siva sent his son Subramaniam to conquer the asuras. After accomplishing
this task, the victorious Subramaniam was believed to have appeared before
his devotees. In the vision, he was bedecked with brilliant jewels, armed
with a golden spear and seated on a chariot Thus, on Thaipusam day, Lord
Subramaniam’s image, adorned and decorated, is placed on a silver chariot
before his devotees. This is then taken in a procession. Besides being
acknowledged as a symbol of bravery, power, virtue, and beauty, the Hindus
believe that Lord Subramaniam is also the universal dispenser of favours.
Hence, some who have made vows and pledges to Lord Subramaniam prove their
gratitude to him by undergoing self-mortification on Thaipusam day.
Penitents in fulfilment of vows carry the kavadi.
7 Rites, rituals and sacrifices
The most popular form of sacrifice is the carrying of the kavadi which
means “sacrifice at every step”. It is the kavadi that identifies the
festival of Thaipusam. Legend has it that Iduban, a devotee of Lord
Subramaniam, carried an offering which so pleased him that he showered his
people with good fortune. The burden carried by Iduban has passed down in
the form of the kavadi. Devotees carry the kavadis to ask for forgiveness,
keep a vow or offer thanks to Lord Subramaniam. The symbolism of carrying
the kavadi originates from a myth where the kavadi represents a mountain
with Lord Subramaniam at its apex. The smaller, semi-circular kavadi is a
steel or D-shaped wooden frame with bars for support on the shoulders,
normally decorated with flowers and peacock feathers. Other forms of
sacrifice include piercing silver pins through the cheek and tongue and
pricking the body with hooks and spear-like needles. The piercing of flesh
in connection with carrying kavadi is central to Thaipusam as the rite is
understood in Singapore. It is closely associated with the Hindu concepts
of ritual purity and pollution. A kavadi carrier can have as many as 100
spears piercing his flesh, but apparently loses little blood, sustained by
faith in a trancelike state. The devotees who intend to perform the
sacrifice are customarily required to observe strict physical and mental
discipline. Throughout the tenth month of Thai, purification of the body is
a necessity. This includes taking just one vegetarian meal a day, and
sexual abstinence. In addition, a 24-hour fast is observed on the eve of
Thaipusam. Most women devotees carry a pot of milk called a palkuddam. The
milk is poured over the statue of Lord Subramaniam at the end of the
procession. Those who take part are usually individuals who have asked the
deity for a favour. In return, they vow to undergo the ritual test of
physical and spiritual endurance. Apart from those who go to the temples on
Thaipusam day to fulfil their vows and to do penance, there are others who
go with their families to offer prayers and to seek spiritual solace.
8 The procession
The deeply religious festival is a spectacular sight largely because of the
colourful procession of bare-footed devotees carrying the kavadi along
public roads. The Hindu Endowments Board helps to organise the annual
ceremony. For years in Singapore, the traditional route for kavadi bearers
has been from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road to Tank Road.
Thousands gathered and crowded the temple grounds by midnight. The kavadi
carriers, together with their relatives, friends and well-wishers,
congregate here in the morning to participate in the three- to
four-kilometre procession to their final destination at the Sri
Thandayuthapani Temple, commonly known as the Murugan Temple or Chettiar’s
Temple. The 136-year-old temple is an establishment belonging to the
Nattukottai Chettiar community, a caste of merchants and moneylenders. The
kavadi procession starts as early as 4am. Leaving at intervals of 15
minutes, the last kavadi group leaves at 7.30pm. The devotees used to stop
for a while in front of the Sivan Temple in Orchard to pay homage to Lord
Siva. The Sri Sivan Temple has since been relocated on Serangoon Road, and
the half-way halt was not required. Instead, arrangements were made for
them to pay their homage to Lord Siva before they start the procession. All
along the way, devotees chant hymns in praise of the deity. The celebrants
following the procession chant “Vel, vel, kavadi”. The belief is that Lord
Murugan was given an invincible spear, “Vel”, which he used successfully to
overcome the demons. The arrival of the kavadi carriers at the Murugan
Temple at Tank Road marks the accomplishment of their task. A mixture of
fruits and honey is prepared and distributed among the devotees. Thousands
of poor are fed for three days in the temple precincts. A ceremony is
commonly held in the devotee’s home thereafter. A domestic worship of
Murugan is performed followed by a festive meal served to family and
friends.
9 “Thaipusam in Singapore,” Singapore Free Press and Mercantile
Advertiser (1884–1942), 10 February 1933, 8. (From NewspaperSG)
“Thaipusam As Public Holiday: MOM Replies,” Ministry of Manpower, last
retrieved 13 May 2016.
Singapore. Parliament, Holiday (Amendment) Bill 1968, Bill 22 of 1968,
Parliamentary Debates: Official Report, 11 July 1968. (Call no. RSING
328.5957 SIN)
Ministry of Information and the Art, “Statement from the Prime Minister’s
Office,” press release, 9 June 1968. (From National Archives of Singapore
document no. lky19680609)
“Day of Homage and Ritual for Hindus.”
10 Meaning of Thai Poosam or Thaipusam On this day, Mother Goddess
Parvati gave him this divine weapon to safeguard the world. Lord Muruga
used a symbol of light and wisdom called the “Vel” to get rid of all the
bad guys and get the universe back to being peaceful and in balance. The
evil forces that were afflicting humans and all of the sages in Trilok, or
three different universes, were defeated by Lord Muruga. The ego,
attachment, and hatred that plague humans are compared to the three Asuras.
Muruga showers people with divine grace to assist them in overcoming
challenges. This is a day of insight and wisdom. This day is observed as a
day of prayer for intelligence and knowledge. In this day and age,
knowledge and education are a great way to rise to great prominence and
fame. The divine “Vel” is a powerful amulet. They receive tremendous
protection against destruction and evil by opening to Lord Muruga’s Vel.
Lord does a great job of eradicating negative spirits, allowing people to
become more open-minded and consider everyone as part of their family. It
brings tranquillity and peace to life. Those who struggle with
relationships with family members will be able to overcome these obstacles.
They are assisted in reuniting with the family by Lord Muruga.
11 Rig Veda 4.30.24
वा॒मंवा॑मं त आदुरे दे॒वो द॑दात्वर्य॒मा । वा॒मं पू॒षा वा॒मं भगो॑ वा॒मं दे॒वः
करू॑ळती ॥
वामंवामं त आदुरे देवो ददात्वर्यमा । वामं पूषा वामं भगो वामं देवः करूळती ॥
vāmaṃ-vāmaṃ ta ādure devo dadātv aryamā | vāmam pūṣā vāmam bhago vāmaṃ
devaḥ karūḻatī ||
“Destroyer of foes, may the divine Aryaman distribute your precious wealth;
(may) Pūṣa (bestow it), (may), Bhaga (bestow it); may the toothless deity
bestow the desired wealth.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
The text has: vāmam pūṣā vāmam bhago vāmam devaḥ karūḷatī: the triple
repetition of vāma, vananīyam, dhanam would seem to separate not only
Bhaga, but Karu.latī from Pūṣan;
Karūḷatī = kṛttadanta or adantaka, the broken-toothed, or toothless, this
term seems to apply to Pūṣan; the legend: pūṣā prapiṣṭabhāgo adantako
hityādi śrutiṣu (Taittirīya Saṃhitā 2.6.8.5); Viṣṇu Purāṇa, 67 has Pūṣan
whose teeth were knocked out by Vīrabhadra's followers at Dakṣa's sacrifice
pūṣā < pūṣan “Pushan; pūṣan [word]; sun.” THAI POOSAM WHEN SUN TRAVELS
TOWARDS NORTH.
12 It is a national holiday in many countries like Malaysia, Sri
Lanka, Mauritius and Fiji. In Singapore, it was a national holiday once but
it was removed from Singapore holidays. In Fiji, Thaipusam is not
officially declared as a national holiday, while in certain states of
Malaysia and in the nations of Sri Lanka and Mauritius it is a government
and a bank holiday.
The word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the month, Thai, and the
name of a star, Pusam. This particular star 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 Soorapadman. It
is commonly believed that Thaipusam marks Murugan's birthday; Some other
sources suggest that Vaikhasi Vishakam, which falls in the Vaikhasi month
(May/June), is Murugan's birthday
13 According to Skanda Puranam, the legend of Murugan, and Thirupugal
which are divine verses on Murugan, adhere to Shaivam principles. Murugan
is the embodiment of Shiva's light and wisdom and devotees pray to him to
overcome the obstacles they face, as He is the divine vanquisher of evil.
The motive of Thaipusam festival is to pray to God to receive his grace so
that bad traits are destroyed
14 The Kavadi Attam ("Burden Dance", also written as cavadee) is the
ceremonial sacrifice and offering performed by devotees during the worship
of Murugan. 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 Murugan. On the day of the
festival, devotees 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). 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.". A similar practice is performed by the
Nagarathar community in Pazhani, India. This is known as the Nagarathar
Kavadi
15 Thaipusam in India In Palani Sri Dhandayuthapani temple, 10 day
Festival (Brahmotsavam) is held during ThaiPusam. Thirukalyanam (Celestial
Wedding) will be held on the day before Thaipusam. On Thaipusam, Therottam
will be held. Lord Muthukumaraswamy will bless devotees in Thanga Guthirai
Vahanam (Golden Horse), Periya Thanga Mayil Vahanam (Golden Peacock,
Theppotsavam (Float Festival) during the 10 day festival. In Chidamabaram
(Thillai) Panchamurthi Veedhi Ula, Thirthavari, Thaandava Darsanam Aarthi
will be held on Thai Poosam. In Madurai Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple, Sri
Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Theppotsavam (Float Festival) will be held at
Mariammam Theppa Kulam. In Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple, 3 Day
Theppotsavam will be held during ThaiPusam Pournami. At the Linga Bhairavi
temple in Coimbatore, devotees participate in a 21-day Shivanga sadhana,
which ends on Thaipusam at the temple. Women offer kudam or pots of plants,
grain and fruit, which they carry on their heads over a certain distance
K Rajaram IRS 11225
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