Posted :
Author :
Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம், Taippūcam ?)is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly
by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai
(January/February). It is mainly observed in countries where there is a
significant presence of Tamil community such as India,
Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar
The word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the
month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam. This particular star is at its
highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when
Parvati gave Murugan a Vel "spear" so he could vanquish the evil
demon Soorapadman. There is a misconception among people that Thaipusam marks
Murugan's birthday; however, it is believed that Vaikhasi Vishakam, which falls
in the Vaikhasi month (May/June), is Murugan's birthday.
Thaipusam in Malaysia
Batu
Caves
In Malaysia,
the temple at Batu Caves, near Kuala
Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and
tens of thousands of tourists. The procession to the caves starts at the Sri
Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15
kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps
to the top.Devotees carry containers containing milk as offering to Lord
Murugan either by hand or in huge decorated carriers on their shoulders called
'kavadi'. The kavadi may be simple wooden arched semi-circular supports holding
a carrier foisted with brass or clay pots of milk or huge, heavy ones which may
rise up to two metres, built of bowed metal frames which hold long skewers, the
sharpened end of which pierce the skin of the bearers torso. The kavadi is
decorated with flowers and peacock feathers imported from India. Some
kavadi may weigh as much as a hundred kilograms. After bathing in the nearby Sungei
Batu (Rocky River), the devotees make their way
to the Temple Cave and climb the flights of stairs to
the temple in the cave. Devotees use the wider centre staircase while
worshippers and onlookers throng up and down those balustrades on either side.
When the kavadi bearer arrives at the foot of the 272-step stairway leading up
to the Temple Cave, the devotee has to make the
arduous climb. Priests attend to the kavadi bearers. Consecrated ash is
sprinkled over the hooks and skewers piercing the devotees' flesh before they
are removed. No blood is shed during the piercing and removal.
Penang
Thaipusam is celebrated at Arulmigu
Sri Balathandayuthapani
Temple (Hilltop) along Jalan Waterfall
in George Town, Penang.
It is one of the main events in Penang. On the
eve of Thaipusam , a silver chariot with the statue of Lord Muruga is led on a
procession, accompanied by Chettiar kavadis or devotees, carrying peacock
feathers. The procession usually starts at 6.00am departing from Kovil Veedu
(House Temple) on Penang Street and traveling through Chulia Street, Victoria
Street, Prangin Road Ghaut, C.Y. Choy Road, Magazine Road(KOMTAR), Datuk
Keramat Road, Irving Road, Jalan Utama and Waterfall Road on its route. It
reaches the Nattukottai
Chettiar Temple
on Waterfall Road
at about midnight, culminating a 15 hour journey . On the eve day, coconuts are
smashed on the roads before the chariot to symbolise the shattering of one’s
ego in the pursuit of self-realization. In addition, devotees also make
offerings of fruits, flowers and incense to the Lord Muruga in the Silver
Chariot.
On Thaipusam Day, devotees undertake a pilgrimage from the
Lorong Kulit temple to the new Waterfall temple, Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani
Kovil. It is located high on a hill. Carrying kavadis can be an act of penance
or fulfillment of a vow done to develop spirituality. The kavadis can take the
form of Paal Kudam (milk pots) as offerings to god or in the form of physical
endurance by piercing the cheeks, tongue, or skin on the body with hooks and
Vel skewers. The new Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani temple can accommodate up to
800,000 devotees for the annual Thaipusam Festival. Devotees need to climb over
500 steps to reach the hilltop temple. This is more than the 272 steps at the
famous Batu Caves
(Kuala Lumpur).
Upon reaching the temple, devotees will fulfill their vows, offer thanksgiving
prayers and penance to Lord Muruga.
On the next day, the silver chariot with Lord Muruga makes a
return trip to Kovil Veedu on Penang
Street. The return trip from the Waterfall temple
lasts from 6.00 pm until dawn the next day. It takes a different route back,
passing through Waterfall Road,
Gottlieb Road,
Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Cantonment
Road, Macalister
Road, Anson
Road, Burmah
Road, Transfer
Road, Sri
Bahari Road, Penang Road, Campbell
Street, Buckingham Street,
Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling, Chulia
Street, Queen
Street, Market Street, China Street, Beach Street and Penang Street. On this day, the same
activities that were carried out on the eve of Thaipusam are carried out again
along the route of the procession.
During this three-day celebration, one can find over 100
beautifully decorated stalls erected along Western Road and Gottlieb Road. These stalls sell
traditional Indian goods, souvenirs, decorative items and snacks and
refreshments. Thunderous loud music, singing, dancing and the beating of drums
can be seen and heard from afar throughout the festival. This is a festival of
rich culture and deep tradition in Penang. The
festival is also celebrated at the Sri
Subramaniar Temple
in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh.Sungai Petani, Kedah.
~Blog Admin~
No comments:
Post a Comment