|| Today is Thaipooyam Birthday Of Lord Muruga ||

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Thaipooya Mahotsavam at Sree Subramanya Swamy Temples

 

Event Date : 11-02-2006

 

'Thaipooya Mahotsavam' the one-day festival dedicated to Lord Subramanya, the

eldest son of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi, is celebrated in most temples in

Kerala. Thaipooyam is celebrated with much pomp and festivity in the Sree

Subramanya Temple in Alappuzha and the Sree Maheswara Temple in Thrissur. On the

day of the festival, hundreds of devotees carry Kavadies or wooden arches richly

decorated with peacock feathers, tapestry or artificial flowers, on a

ceremonious procession to the temple and dance in abandon unfolding a

magnificent spectacle in the temple precincts. Thousands of small traditional

oil lamps fixed on the outer walls of the temple are lit on the festival night.

 

 

Celebrated in all parts of the world . Thaipusam has come to mean the birthday

of

Lord Subramaniam, also known as lord Muruga, the younger son of Lord Shiva

 

 

 

 

Muruga is worshipped in Kerala as Subrahmanya and in some parts of Northern

India as Karthikeya. The famous Muruga temples in Kerala are: Payyannur

(Northern Kerala), Harippad (Alappuzha Dist.), Udayanapuram, Kidangoor, Kodumbu

(Palakkad Dist.), Ulloor (near Thiruvananthapuram), Thampanoor

(Thiruvananthapuram), Perunnai (near Changanassery, Kottayam Dist.) and

Cheriyanadu near Chengannoor (Alappuzha Dist.)

 

kavadi ritual

 

 

 

 

 

OM SARAVANABAVA

 

Aaru Padaiyappa or otherwise the general of the six armies (devas) is Lord

Murugan.

 

Sage Agastya wanted to take two hills Sivagiri and Saktigiri - to his abode in

the South and commissioned his asura disciple ldumban to carry them. Idumban was

one of the very few asura survivors of the war between Murugan's forces and

those of Surapadman. After surviving the war he had repented and became a

devotee of Lord Murugan/Skanda.

 

At this stage, Muruga had just been outwitted by His brother Ganesa in a contest

for going around the world and He was still smarting over the matter. Ganapati

had won the prized fruit by simply going around His parents, who were His world.

Subrahmanya who went around the world in His peacock, came back to find that the

prize had already been given away. In anger, He vowed to leave His home and

family and came down to Tiru Avinankudi at the foot of the Sivagiri Hill. Siva

pacified Him by saying that Subrahmanya Himself was the fruit (pazham) of all

wisdom and knowledge. Hence the

place was called Pazham-nee ( 'You are the fruit') or Palani. Later Murugan

withdrew to the hill and settled there as a recluse in peace and solitude.

 

On the orders Sage Agastya, ldumban bore the Sivagiri and Saktigiri hills slung

across his shoulders in the form of a kavadi, one on each side. When he reached

Palani feeling

tired, he placed the kavadi down to take rest.

 

When ldumban resumed his journey, he found that he could not lift the hill.

Muruga had made it impossible for ldumban to carry it. Upon one of the hilltop

the great asuran spotted a little boy in loin clothes. Idumban demanded the boy

to vacate the hill at once so that he could proceed with his task. The boy, who

was in a fighting mood, refused.

In the fierce battle which ensued, ldumban was slain. When the wife of the Asura

pleaded with the little boy, ldumban life was restored.

 

Coming back alive, ldumban recognised the boy as none other than his ishta

devata Murugan. Idumban prayed to the Lord that whoever carried the kavadi on

their shoulders, signifying the two hills should be blessed. Idumban also

requested that he should be given the priviledge of standing sentinel at the

entrance to the hill. Hence we have the ldumban shrine half-way up the hill.

Every pilgrim is expected to offer obeisance to ldumban before entering the

temple of Dandayudhapani Swami.

 

Since then, pilgrims to Palani bring their offerings on their shoulders in a

kavadi. The custom has spread from Palani to all Murugan temples around the

world. Muruga,

in His aspect as Lord Dandayudhapani, stands for renunciation

 

 

Thaipusam is without doubt the grandest and most awesome of Hindu festivals

celebrated in Southeast Asia to honor Lord Subramaniam, son of Siva. Hundreds of

Hindus who seek penance and absolution for past sins, or who wish to show

gratitude to God for blessings during the year, vow to carry a kavadi-a wooden

frame decorated with flowers and fruits and supported by long thin spikes pinned

or driven into the carrier's body. To do so they go on a strict vegetarian diet

for forty days prior to the festival.

 

Other devotees may have their tongues and cheeks pierced with spikes. Some

spikes are more like long rods, ten or twelve feet long and as thick as a man's

thumb. These are forced through his cheeks and he walks along holding the rod in

his teeth, supported on both sides by his hands. Devotees insist their minds are

on their gods and they do not feel pain. Nor do their wounds bleed. And, most

unbelievable, there are no scars afterwards. The largest Thaipusam gathering is

at Batu Caves north of Kulau Lumpur. Kavadi-carriers gather there before dawn,

bathe in the river and enter a trance like religious euphoria before mounting

the 272 steps to Lord Subramaniam's shrine within the gigantic caves. As many as

100,000 worshippers come to join in the solemn procession.

 

Inside the cave, a dozen white-clad priests tend to the thousands of worshippers

and bestow upon them blessings and sacred ash. Spikes from their cheeks are

removed, the kavadis are lifted, the trance subsides. A coconut is dashed to the

ground and camphor is burned. The holy vow made to God has been fulfilled.

 

Hindus celebrate Thaipusam on the tenth month of their calendar. It coincides

with the full moon at the end of January and beginning of February 'Thai' is the

Hindu month which falls between January 15 to February 15 and 'Pusam' refers to

a star which is at its brightest during the period of this festival. Celebrated

in all parts of the world .

 

Thaipusam has come to mean the birthday of Lord Subramaniam, also known as lord

Muruga, the younger son of Lord Shiva.

Leading up to the event, Hindus prepare themselves by fasting, praying and

observing austerities.

 

 

 

Thaipusam festival is gradly celebrated in countries like

South India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji, Mauritious, Paris, South

Africa, Seychelles, Toronto,,

Thailand ( not in a formal way though) The Thais celebrate Thaipusam in a

horrifying way,so we cannot declare that as a proper Hindu festival.

 

Thaipusam @ Batu Caves in Malaysia

 

 

 

 

 

For more Details

 

http://murugan.org/temples/batu_caves.htm

 

 

About Ageless guru Agasthyar

http://murugan.org/bhaktas/agastyar.htm

 

 

Visit

100s of murugan bhakthi links @

http://www.murugan.org

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Vel Vel Muruga Shakti Vel muruga

 

www.hindushakti.tk

 

 

 

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