Thaipusam

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Om Namah Sivaya In 2008, Thaipusam will be celebrated on

23/01/2008 Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan (Lord Subramania), the youngest son of Siva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel (divine spear) so He could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. The origin of Lord Skanda, the purpose of His avatara and its significance are of much importance to all seekers after Truth. During the battle between the Asuras and the Devas, the latter were defeated several times by the former. The Devas were unable to resist the onslaught of the Asuric forces. In despair, they approached Lord Siva 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 Lord Siva sincerely. The gracious Lord granted their request by creating mighty divine warrior, Lord

Skanda, out of his own power or Achintya Sakti. This great son of Lord Siva at once assumed leadership of the celestial forces, originated them, inspired them and attacked the asuric forces. The asuras were routed and a glorious victory was gained by the Devas. Kavadi procession at Kataragamam, Sri

Lanka Generally people take a vow to offer a kavadi to the Lord for purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity. Though this might on the face of it appear materialistic, a moment's reflection will reveal that it contains in it the seed of love for God. The worldly object is achieved: and the devotee offers the kavadi. After the ceremony is over, he gets so much intoxicated with love of God that his inner spiritual chamber is opened. This too ultimately leads to Para Bhakti -Supreme devotion. Devotees prepare for the

celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting. On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads 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. The most spectacular practice is the Vel kavadi, essentially a portable altar up to two meters tall, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through 108 Vels pierced into the skin on the chest and back. Fire walking and flagellation may also be practiced. It is claimed that devotees are able to enter a trance (go beyond body consciousness), feel no pain, do not bleed from their wounds and have no scars left behind. Thaipusam festival in Mauritius The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Singapore(http://www.kaumaram.com/pusam/index.html), Mauritius and Malaysia. The temple at the Batu Caves(http://www.kaumaram.com/aalayam/dex_mal.php) , near Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists. The procession to the caves starts at the Maha Mariamman Temple in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15 kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps to the top. In Malaysia, although rare, scenes of people from different ethnic groups and faiths bearing "kavadi" can also be seen. Interestingly, Thaipusam is also increasingly being celebrated by the ethnic Chinese in Malaysia. Thaipusam is also celebrated at another cave site, the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak and at Jalan Waterfall in Penang. Temple secretary P. Palaiya Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh reported that about 250,000 devotees participated in the festival 2007, including 300 kavadi bearers, while 15,000 came with milk offerings. In Palani, Tamil Nadu, India, Thai Pusam is celebrated with grandeur. 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." Kavadi procession in Kerala Kavadi procession in Delhi Kavadi-bearers have to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the kavadi and at the time of offering it to Lord Murugan. The kavadi-bearer observes celibacy and take only pure, Satvik food, once a day, while continuously thinking of God. The simplest kavadi is a semi circular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a little spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds her

constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents her 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. The kavadi itself is steeped in mythology. At Mount Kailas, Lord Siva entrusted the dwarf saint sage Agastya with two hillocks, with instructions to carry and install them in South India. But the sage left them in a

forest and later asked his disciple, Idumban to get them. Idumban found the two hillocks, but could not initially lift them, until he obtained divine help. Near Palani in South India – where to this day there is a famous shrine of Murugan — Idumban put the hillocks down to rest awhile. When he

attempted to continue with his journey, he found that the hillocks were immovable.Idumban sought the help of a scantily dressed youth, but the youth claimed the hillocks belonged to him. In the fierce battle that ensued, Idumban was killed but was later on restored to life. Idumban prayed that: whosoever carried on his shoulders the Kavadi, signifying the two hills and visited the temple on a vow, should be blessed and he (Idumban) should be given the

privilege of standing sentinel at the entrance to the hill. Hence we have the Idumban shrine halfway up the hill where every pilgrim is expected to offer obeisance to Idumban before entering the temple of Lord Subramanya. Since then, pilgrims to Palani bring their offerings on their shoulders in a kavadi. The custom has spread from Palani to all Lord Subramanya shrines worldwide. Sivaya Namah

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