Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (8 feb this year). Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
The festival is an intense show of faith. The devotees go on a three-kilometre trek with ritualistic act of worship and thanksgiving. The main participants in trance, haul or carry beautifully decorated kavadis. Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship. The kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.The festival is an intense show of faith. The devotees go on a three-kilometre trek with ritualistic act of worship and thanksgiving. The main participants in trance, haul or carry beautifully decorated kavadis It is often decorated with flowers, peacock fathers (the vehicle of God Murugan) among other things.
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 mercenary, 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.Happy Thaipusam!
