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Thaipusam Festival

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sunita

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Thaipusam is one of the most conspicuous festivals, celebrated with utmost religious fervor by the devotees of Lord Muruga in all Tamil speaking places including Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and Myanmar. In Tamil Nadu, it is an occasion, which is observed with much prayer and devotion by the Skanda devotees through penance, rituals and offerings to God. It falls in the month of January on the day of the star of Pusam around Full moon Day. Pusam or Pushya is reckoned to be the most suitable star for spiritual enlightenment. So, people consider this Thaipusam as the most benevolent period for their spiritual awakening and development, finding it as the right time to move on in their celestial journey.
Thaipusam_at_Batu_caves.jpg

Why is Thaipusam so significant?

There are mythological overtones in the celebration of Thaipusam. It actually refers to the creation of Skanda during the battles between the Asuras and the Devas. Lord Shiva created Muruga or Skanda with his Achintya Shakti to defeat the Asuras. When Tharakasura was overpowering with atrocities, Shiva gave Muruga eleven weapons and the all potent Vel was given by Matha Shakthi. This was the day when Lord Muruga put an end to the life of Tharakasura with the weapons offered by his parents. Tharakasura wanted to serve him forever in the figures of cock and peacock. So, this day is marked as the befitting time for penance, spiritual thinking and dwelling upon the glory of God. Vel is compared to spiritual light which won over the darkness of worldliness.

One more story is also there behind the celebration of Thaipusam. Swami Ramalinga was a spiritual warrior who worked towards the spiritual enhancement of mankind with his ideals and philosophies. He tried to emancipate people from spiritual darkness by maintaining his body of light for over one and a half year , revealing to mankind the perishable quality of human race and the immortality of eternity. It was on the full moon day of pushya in the month of Thai, he immersed himself in the grace of God forever and relinquished all his mortal remains on the earth. Once again the story takes us to the path of spiritual awakening and religious sublimity found in the occasion.

Mode of Celebration: Kavadi and the Penance

Thaipusam is noted for the devotees’ intense penance and atonement while undertaking the ceremonies to show their devotion to Lord Muruga. They usually don themselves in yellow or orange clothes (Colors liked by Muruga) and make penance for 48 days before flocking to his temples like Arupadai Vedu. They carry Kavadis all through the way to the temples and offer milk, flowers and other offerings to Lord Subramanya Some of them display the extreme degree of devotion by piercing their cheeks with small spears and body with skewers. They don’t realize the pain as it is the amount of devotion that pulls them towards the temple and the ardent wish to seek the bliss of Lord Muruga, who is the deity of knowledge and wisdom.
[h=2]Palani - the Hallmark of Celebration[/h]The Muruga Bhakthas throng Palani dancing their way through with musical accompaniments and ritualistic prayers. There is a huge procession of kavadi bearers, people with milk pots on their heads and those who shower their prayers to Lord Muruga with rare sights of locking their mouths with metal rings and dragging a chariot with the hooks pierced into their bodies. The festive spirit is abundant, since it is the ripe time after harvest, when the agriculturists are over joyous with the proceeds and demonstrate their thanks giving through offerings to Lord Muruga.
[h=2]Thaipusam in other places[/h]Vaikom in Kerala is a place noted for the celebration of Thaipusam. The most famous Kavadi Pilgrimage at Batu caves in Malaysia and the one at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Singapore are remarkable for their celebrations and surging crowd. Honey, lentils, raisins are offered as prasadam to the devotees in Singapore. Panakam (the jaggery water), Payar thoran, Channa dal or Bengal gram kheer are offered to God and taken by the devotees while observing penance.

In short, it is a day of spirituality, religiosity and vigorous celebration.
 
[video=youtube;v3hmvw_6cU4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3hmvw_6cU4[/video]
 
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