On Tuesday, 7th February, the Tamil community celebrated Thaipusam. Thaipusam is a yearly affair, celebrated in a grand way in India wherein the Tamil community constitutes the majority. Here, in Singapore, we celebrate Thaipusam yearly too (amidst many restrictions). Thaipusam is celebrated in memory of the day Lord Murugan, one of the many hindu gods, received a spear (called, a vel) so that he could destroy an evil demon.
On Thaipusam day in Singapore, devotees of all ages would walk from one temple ( Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple) to another temple (Tank road temple); A total distance of 4 kilometres. Most of them would adorn yellow traditional Indian attires and carry milk pots on their head. They would walk the whole distance, never stopping for a break, despite the weariness that starts to weigh them down. Men with kavadis attached to their bodies would be surrounded by friends and family who sing devotional songs to motivate them, throughout the 4km, to remain focused and reach their destination despite the physical pain that they feel.
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| My brother carrying his Kavadi |
My brother has been carrying the kavadi for the past four years. His kavadi consists of long spikes, made of steel, which are pierced through the skin. Two semicircular steel pieces are balanced on his shoulders; His kavadi is decorated with a statue of lord Murugan, surrounded by peacock feathers. Those who carry kavadis have to be very focused and are required to eat vegetarian food for at least two weeks prior to Thaipusam. They are also required to sleep on the floor and abstain from activities that are considered impure.
Thaipusam in Singapore, used to be a very flamboyant affair; Filled with colours, music and dance. Due to the restrictions on the type of musical instruments allowed and the bans on musical instruments such as the gongs/drums, the event is not as lively as it used to be, many years back. Many devotees are unhappy about the restrictions as they feel that musical instruments are necessary to motivate kavadi carriers to complete the 4km successfully and music would serve as a good distraction from the pain that they might feel. Despite the restrictions and the decrease in liveliness, Thaipusam continues to be one of the major Indian festivals celebrated in Singapore.
For more information on Thaipusam, please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaipusam.
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