This year both Jill and I were in town for Thaipusam , a Hindu
religious festival. Last year, only I was in town and took a few
pictures. This year we followed the full length of the trek and
spent much more time.
What is Thaipusam?
Celebrated by Hindus all of the world, Thaipusam occurs on the day
of the full moon in "Thai," a month in the Hindu calendar. "Pusam" is
a star in Hindu astrology. This year, Thaipusam falls on February
10th. It is celebrated in honor of Lord Subramaniam (also called Lord
Murugan), a son of Siva, the multi-armed god known for destructive
powers. Devotees ask for forgiveness and blessings from the deity,
usually by carrying a kavadi, a metal structure with spikes that
pierce various parts of the body, and walking a distance to a temple
to make offerings. "Kavadi" means sacrifice at each step, and
carrying one involves having the needle-like blades driven through
fleshy parts of the body. Because of the religious nature of the
event, kavadi carriers do not experience pain, rarely bleed, and
often do not remember being pierced.
How do Hindus show their devotion?
Besides carrying a kavadi decorated with peacock feathers,
pictures of Lord Subramaniam and pots of milk, devotees shave their
heads and use hair as an offering, or donate gold to the temple. On
the day itself, they wear white clothes that have been dipped into
water dissolved with turmeric, as they believe the yellow-colored
spice has strong medicinal properties and because yellow is an
auspicious color. They may also eat a sweet porridge, "pongol,"
that's made of palm sugar, rice, milk, and ghee (butter fat).
How do Hindus prepare for the festival?
Before Thaipusam, kavadi carriers fast and pray for a period of
time; the actual duration is decided by the individual. Some devotees
choose to abstain from sex in order to keep themselves pure, while
others go on a strict vegetarian diet. They also refuse to shave or
cut their hair, as it is considered bud luck to get any wounds on the
body.
How did Thaipusam come about?
Thaipusam is based on an ancient Hindu epic. On the night of the
full moon in Thai, Idumban, a devotee, received a divine message
asking him to go to the top of a hill to pay homage to Lord
Subramaniam. Armed with two pots of milk as offerings, Idumban sang
hymns of praise throughout his journey to distract himself from the
weight of the pots. Like Idumban, devotees say prayers and sing songs
during the procession to take their minds off the weight of the
kavadis.
