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How is Thai Pusam celebrated?

Devotees prepare themselves through prayerand fasting. On the day of the festival, manyshave their heads, an act of sacrifice thatsymbolizes humility and the surrender ofvanity. They undertake a pilgrimage to aplace where Thai Pusam is being celebrated,usually a temple, while performing acts ofdevotion and penance. The most notablepractices are the carrying ofkavadis (bur-dens). Thai Pusam is observed in the Tamilmonth of Thai, between January 15 and Feb-ruary 15, when the Pushya star cluster, called

Pusam in Tamil, rises with the full moon.

What is kavadi?

Kavadiis an offering carried by a devoteeduring a grand parade and offered to Muru-gan at the destination. The most common,pal kudam, is a pot filled with milk carriedover ones head. Less common but more im-pressive are the bamboo structures formedlike a peacock or chariot, ornamented with

Honoring the God of Yoga

Thai PusamThai PusamBy many names we known Him. He is Murugan, thebeautiful one. He is Dandapani, the God of yoga whoguides us on the path to Self Realization. He is Ku-mara, the God of child-like love, holding steady the higher

realms of creation. He is Karttikeya, the God of war, who

arrives to end all conflicts with piercing wisdom and swiftaction. During January/February, the Tamil month of Thai,millions gather to worship and honor Him with fervor.In North America, He has temples in Arizona, Maryland,

Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and California.

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God Loves a Parade

Hindu festivals often feature a grandparade in which the Deity is takenthrough the streets. The processionattracts huge crowds, energizing devoteesand bringing Gods blessings out to thecity from the confines of the temple. Itis not the temples main Deity imagethat is paraded, but a smaller statue orsymbol. An ornate chariot built of wood

and silver is pulled with huge ropes bythrongs of devotees. The procession inKuala Lumpur begins in the heart of thecity and proceeds 15 kilometersa slow,8-hour journeyto Batu Caves. There theDeity is carried up the flight of 272 stepsto the Murugan shrine inside the cave.

Hinduism: Fact & Fiction

FACT:Devotees who receive piercings and undergo other self-infl icting austerities

during Thai Pusam do not bleed, suff er infections or experience prolonged pain

after the events. Fasting, herbal salves, celibacy and a trance-like, exalted state

mitigate human suff ering commonly experienced when such practices are carried

out unsupervised. Those who express devotion in such extreme ways are accorded

reverential respect by the community.

FICTION:Many people believe that karma means fate, a preordained destiny

over which one has no control. This is untrue. Karma is the process of action and

reaction on all levelsphysical, mental and spiritual. We each have the power

to remold our future by the way we live now. If we sow goodness, we will reap

oodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil.

What other acts of penance are ob-served? After fasting and following otherspiritual preparations, carriers of kavadimay ask a priest to pierce their bodies withsmall spears, replicas of Lord Murugans

vel. Other famous acts of penance includewalking on hot coals and wearing nailshoes. It is considered a miracle of faiththat fire walkers suffer no burns, andpiercings do not bleed or leave scars.

Why are these austerities per-formed? Fasting, head-shaving andkavadi are acts of devotion and pen-ance to atone for misdeeds, earn spiri-tual merit and subdue the ego. Suchausterities soften and relieve theburdens of karma, guilt, regret and

troublesome memories. Through sa-cred rites and intense prayers, the De-itys soothing blessings are receivedinto the nerve system of the devotee.Penance, sincerely performed withthe help of the angelic worlds, healsmental-emotional wounds and grantsrelease from suffering.

symbols evocative of Murugan. Some areheavy structures many feet tall and cov-ered in peacock feathers. For weeks beforethe festival, kavadicarriers observe celiba-cy, take only fresh, light foods, while striv-ing to think continuously of the Deity. Justbefore the sacred walk, they take a vow

and pray for boons, often pledging someform of sacrifice or change in behavior.During the ordeal, many experience statesof euphoria or trance.

What is the purpose of kavadi?Austerity strengthens willpower, clearsthe mind of regrets, resolves problemsand brings closeness to God. Devotees be-lieve that God will make any burden seemweightless as long as their faith is firm. Ka-vadi is the highest form of offering, a giftto God of personal effort and sacrifice.

What is Thai Pusams special signifi cance?

This festival celebrates the moment in sa-cred legends when Lord Murugan, as thecommander-in-chief of the divine army,defeated, using various spiritual powers,a mighty demon named Taraka who waswreaking havoc in all the worlds.

Where is Thai Pusam celebrated?

This festival is widely celebrated amongcommunities of Tamil peoples in South In-dia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Fiji, South Africa,Singapore, Mauritius, the Caribbean andNorth America. In South India, thousandswalk barefoot for days to Palani Hills car-rying colorful kavadis. The largest celebra-tions take place in Malaysia, where it is apublic holiday. The temple at Batu Caves,near Kuala Lumpur, attracts a million devo-tees on that day.

Tidbits About Thai Pusam

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