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Thai Poosam is a festival celebrated by the Hindus who live in the south as well as various other countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and South Africa. It is celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (January – February) on a full moon day and the day of the star Poosam. This festival is dedicated to Lord Murugan. He is the son of Shiva and Goddess Parvati and is also known as Karthikeya.
The Story of Thai Poosam – Victory of Good Over Evil
It is believed that on this day Lord Murugan set of to destroy Tharakasuran who had been creating a lot of trouble for the priests and saints. He carried 12 weapons with him. 11 of them were given to him by Lord Shiva and one weapon that is the ‘Vel’ or ‘Holy Lance’ was given to him by Mother Parvati. He was able to defeat Tharakasura and destroy the asuras with this weapon and emerged victorious. Therefore, this day is celebrated as a victory of good over evil. On this day the devotees of Lord Murugan offer him fruits and flowers that are yellow of orange in color as these are his favourite colors. The also cover him and adorn him in clothes made of these colors. Also, Lord Murugan is placed on a silver chariot and a procession takes place on this day. Another famous ritual performed on this day is the ‘Kavadi’.
Lord Murugan and Idumban
The legend behind this ritual is that Lord Shiva had given two hills – Shivagiri hill and Shaktigiri hill to Sage Agastya and asked him to place it in south India. The Sage asked his disciple Idumban to carry the hills to their destination. The disciple used a beam and attached the two hills on each end. He then carried the beam on his shoulder. After covering half of the journey he put down the beam with the hills to take rest. After sometime he got up to resume his journey and was unable to move the hills as they had become too heavy. As he was trying to pick up the hills he saw a boy before him and sought his help. The boy refused saying that the hills belonged to him. This annoyed Idumban and a fight broke out between him and the boy. During the fight Idumban realised that the boy was none other than Lord Murugan. He (Murugan) had been the one to increase the weight of the hills. Idumban was killed in the fight. But Murugan showed mercy and revived Idumban who then became his greatest devotee. So on this day anyone who carries Kavadi (weight signifying the two hills) on their shoulder to the temple of Lord Murugan received his blessings.
Kavadi Attam
Kavadi is a ceremonial walk of sacrifice and burden and ends at the temple of Lord Murugan. By completing this walk the devotees feel a sense of satisfaction and spiritual awakening in their lives. It also helps them in getting over the obstacles and difficulties that they will face in their life.
Before the devotees can do Kadavi they have to follow certain rules and prepare themselves for it. The preparation starts 48 days before the festival. They have to rid themselves of all the mental and physical impurities. To attain that purification they follow rules which are as follows-
- Eating only vegetarian food.
- Refraining from any kind of intoxicating drug or alcohol.
- Thinking and praying to the god all the time.
- Abstinence from any form of sexual activity.
- Refraining from indulging in any form of desire or pleasure.
- Sleeping on the floor and not using the luxuries.
- Shaving of the head.
After doing these things the person must maintain a 24 hour fast a day before the day of the festivals. As the devotees face these things they attain purification and removal from evil thoughts and actions. Its also a form of sacrifice for Lord Murugan. They prepare themselves by sacrificing the pleasures and luxuries and leading a simple life.
Significance of Kavadi
On the day of the festival these devotees have to walk to the Murugan temple carrying a form of Kavadi. At its simplest the devotees can carry a pot of milk and flowers hanging from a wooden beam on each end. The load of the kavadi can be increased by increasing the objects that the devotee carries. Carrying this burden signifies their strength and will. The kavadis are decorated with flowers and peacock feathers (Peacock is the vehicle of Lord Murugan). They are also attached with bells to announce the presence of the Kavadi bearer as the bearers are required to remain silent throughout the journey. Some devout people walk barefoot and collect materials for their Kadavi by stopping at every house. The people who provide the materials also receive the blessings. Some fanatical devotees go to the extent of hurting their bodies to appease the lord. They pierce their bodies with hooks, skewers, and small lances (vel). They pierce their tongue and cheeks to prevent speech and hence attain full concentration on the lord. Some of the devotee’s even pull chariots with the hooks attached to their bodies. Doing these things they are able to enter a stage of trance where they don’t feel any pain.
The following things can be offered or carried as Kavadi by the devotees-
- Milk which signifies good life and prosperity
- Coconut which signifies conceiving
- Honey which signifies honesty and truth
- Lime which represents our enemies
- Rose water which represents wealth and success in life
- Ghee which signifies freedom and letting go of things.
- Turmeric powder which represents our worries and the debts we have.
- Flowers which signify progress in life.
- Holy ash which signify the blessings of the lord.
- Sour Milk which signifies sickness and bad things.
Thai Poosam Celebrations at Temples
Thai Poosam is celebrated in different places in the following ways-
- At Palani, Tamil Nadu
At the hill temple of Palani, Thai Poosam is celebrated with great grandeur, happiness and enthusiasm. Thousands of devotees come to this place to achieve the blessings of Lord Murugan. The day of the festival is a great site to see. Everywhere Kavadi bearers walk barefoot to the temple with many of them having piercings, small lances and hooks on their body. They can be identified by the vibhuti (holy ash) that they apply on their forehead.
- Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Here the celebration takes place at the Satyavageeswara temple. A procession of the idol of Lord Murugan takes place. Kavadi ritual is performed to attain prosperity and success.
- In Singapore
Here the festival starts with a chariot procession from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in the Little India and ends after 4 kilometres at Sri Thandayuthapani Temple on 15 Tank Road. More than 25,000 spectators watch the procession in which around 10,000 devotees participate as kavadi-bearers and kavadi-dancers. Live Indian music is also played which consist of drumming and paying the clarinet.
- At Batu caves, Malaysia
The festival takes place at Batu caves in Malaysia. It consists of three main caves and the visitors have to climb 272 steps to reach it. More than a million people visit this place during Thai Poosam to see as well as participate in the festival. The procession starts from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur and takes 8 hours to reach Batu caves. The kavadi-bearers adorn piercings on their body to show their devotion.
- In Penang, Malaysia
Here the Thai Poosam festival is celebrated for three days. The procession starts from Little India to the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple on Jalan Dato Keramat which is a 4 mile distance. Many devotees pull the statue of Lord Murugan on a chariot and various kavadi bearers also participate in this procession. The kavadi bearers carry things such as milk and flowers or more heavy substance as well.
Famous Murugan Temples Celebrating Thai Poosam
The famous temples of Lord Murugan in Southeast Asia are-
- Swamimalai Murugan Temple in Swamimalai, kumbakonam
- Palani Murugan Temple in Pazhani, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu
- Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple in Pazhamudircholai, Madurai district
- Thiruthani Murugan Temple in Thiruthani, Thiruvallur district
- Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple in Thiruparankunram, Madurai district
- Thiruchendur Murugan Temple in Thiruchendur, Toothukudi district
- Sri Subramaniar Swamy Devasthanam, Batu caves, Malaysia- This place has the tallest statue of Lord Murugan which 42.7 metres in height.
- Sri Siva Subramaniya temple in Nadi, Fiji. It is at the southern end of Nadi and is the largest Hindu temple in the Southern hemisphere.
- Sri Thendayuthapani Temple also known as the Chettiars’ Temple- It’s a famous temple in Singapore.
- Nallur Kandaswamy Temple also called as Nallur Murugan Kovil – Located in the Jaffna District, Sri Lanka, in the town of Nallur. It is a very popular temple there.
