Thaipusam
thaipusam thaipoosam tamil taippūcam ipa t̪əjppuːsəm tamil hindu festival celebrated first full moon day tamil month thai coinciding pusam star festival celebrated commemorate victory hindu god murugan demon surapadman battle murugan believed wielded vel divine spear granted mother parvati festival includes ritualistic practice kavadi aattam ceremonial act sacrifice carrying physical burden mean balancing spiritual debt worshiper often carry pot cow milk offering also mortification flesh piercing skin tongue cheek vel skewer devotee prepare ritual keeping clean regular prayer following vegetarian diet fasting remaining celibate thaipusam observed tamil india sri lanka southeast asia notably malaysia singapore indonesia also observed country significant tamil diaspora like fiji mauritius seychelles south africa canada caribbean country including trinidad tobago guyana country significant indian migrant like united state public holiday mauritius select state malaysia indian state tamil nadu thaipusam portmanteau two tamil word tamil month thai name star pusam denoting day occurrence festival according kanda puranam tamil version skanda purana three asura race celestial being surapadman tarakasuran singamukhan performed austerity propitiate hindu god shiva shiva granted various boon gave nearimmortality ability conquer three world subsequently started reign tyranny respective realm oppressed celestial being including devas people devas pleaded shiva assistance put end reign surapadman asura response shiva manifested five additional head divine spark emerged six head initially windgod vayu carried spark firegod agni took possession afterwards unbearable heat agni deposited spark ganga river water ganga started evaporating due intense heat goddess ganga took saravana lake spark developed baby boy six boy raised handmaiden known kṛttikās later fused one parvati thus giving rise sixheaded murugan parvati granted divine spear known vel murugan accompanied virabahu served commanderinchief eight others son bore nine shakti arose gem broken anklet parvati ran seat due heat generated spark emanating shiva along army devas murugan waged war asura murugan split surapadman two vel two half transformed mango tree later peacock rooster murugan adopted peacock mount took rooster flag thaipusam festival celebrated commemorate victory murugan surapadman murugan deity associated yogic discipline austerity hinduism regarded adherent capable offering mukti spiritual liberation venerate thaipusam occurs annually celebrated full moon day tamil month thai confluence star pusam kavadi aattam ceremonial act sacrifice offering practiced devotee thaipusam festival form central part festival symbolizes form debt bondage kavadi meaning burden tamil physical burden consists semicircular piece wood steel bent attached cross structure simplest form balanced shoulder devotee bearing kavadi devotee implore murugan assistance usually mean balancing spiritual debt behalf loved one need help healing worshiper often carry pot cow milk offering pal kavadi object sugercane tender coconut flower extreme spectacular practice carrying vel kavadi portable altar metre ft tall weighing kg lb decorated peacock feather attached body devotee multiple skewer metal hook pierced skin chest back people also form mortification flesh piercing skin tongue cheek vel skewer flagellation since public self mutilation prohibited indian law practice limited india vibuthi type holy ash spread across body including piercing site drumming chanting verse help devotee enter state trance devotee usually prepare ritual keeping clean regular prayer following vegetarian diet fasting remaining celibate make pilgrimage bare foot dance along route bearing burden thai pusam major festival murugan temple including six abode south india dhandayuthapani swamy temple palani festival celebrated ten day known brahmotsavam subramaniya swamy temple tiruchendur murugan supposed emerged victorious asura festival attracts lakh pilgrim every year ritual procession float festival held every year temple tank meenakshi temple madurai kapaleeshwarar temple mylapore chennai festival also observed thaipooyam mahotsavam kerala festival declared public holiday indian state tamil nadu festival originated india spread across country significant tamil diaspora celebrated much larger scale country outside india celebrated sri lanka myanmar country southeast asia notably malaysia singapore indonesia also celebrated country significant people tamil origin like fiji mauritius seychelles south africa canada caribbean country including trinidad tobago country significant indian migrant like united state malaysia festival attracts thousand people elaborate festivity batu cave near kuala lumpur arulmigu balathandayuthapani temple penang singapore devotee start procession sri srinivasa perumal temple carrying milk pot kavadis spike pierced body proceeds towards sri thendayuthapani temple thaipusam mauritius celebrated thousand attendee taking ritual cavadee kovil montagne south africa thaipusam kavady celebrated durban clairwood shree siva soobramonior temple cape town shree sivasubramaniar alayam palm ridge fiji festival celebrated sri siva subrahmanya swami temple nadi town sri raj mahamariamman temple suva indonesia procession medan palani andawer temple aceh medan pilgrim accompany hundred year old chariot locally known radhoo sri mariamman temple kampung madras u festival celebrated various hindu temple across country national holiday mauritius state holiday kuala lumpur johor negeri sembilan penang perak putrajaya selangor malaysia declared national holiday singapore till hinduism southeast asia