Thaipusam: a Time of Devotion and Joy

By Eric Walter

If you happen to be between Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road and Sri Thendayuthapani Temple on Tank Road this February 5, you may see what might (by western standards) be an unusual sight.

A procession of Singapore’s Tamil community will be marking the climax of Thaipusam, a two-day Hindu festival of thanksgiving, atonement, and endurance.

As they make their way from one temple to another (a journey of 4 kilometers) singing hymns and prayers, many participants will be carrying pots of milk or semicircular steel or wooden frames known as kavadis, a Tamil word meaning “sacrifice with every footfall.” As a demonstration of their faith and sincerity, some participants literally connect their kavadis to their flesh with elaborate rows of metal hooks. Often decorated with feathers and flowers, kavadis can reach heights of 13 feet (four meters) and weigh up to almost 90 pounds (40 kilos). Some participants may also pierce their tongues with metal skewers known as vel.

To the uninitiated, the whole thing might sound grim, but the festival is actually a joyous occasion meant to honor the Hindu figure of Lord Murugan, a personification of virtue and youth and a vanquisher of evil. It is considered an honor to carry the kavadi and is believed to bring favor to the family. Kavadibearers prepare by praying and fasting for two days prior and then perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the burden.

Celebrated in Singapore, Malaysia, parts of India, and other areas with Tamil-speaking populations, Thaipusam is the high point of a month of spiritual preparation for many devotees, which includes a strict vegetarian diet. It is believed that only when the mind is free of earthly wants and the body free of physical pleasures can a person undertake the ordeal without experiencing pain.

Lasting for two days, the festival celebrates the full moon of the Tamil month, which is January or February. This year, it begins on February 4 with a procession including a chariot carrying a statue of Lord Murugan from Sri Thendayuthapani Temple on Tank Road to Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple on Keong Saik Road.

Celebrants welcome onlookers and even those with cameras. Go very early in the morning on February 5 to Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to watch the celebrants preparing for the walk.

Really enthralled? Then consider a trip to one of the largest Thaipusam celebrations in the world, just outside of Kuala Lampur at the Batu Caves. More than 1.5 million people make the trip every year, and those carrying the kavadi climb more than 250 steps to the caves.

To learn more about Thaipusam, go to www.visitsingapore.com